Black Bear Bile Farming in Asia | Animal Welfare Hub

Bear bile farming keeps thousands of bears in tiny cages to extract bile through painful procedures.

Key Facts

Over 12,000 bears — mostly Asiatic black bears — are kept in bile farms
Bears are confined in cages so small they cannot stand or turn around
Bile extraction methods cause chronic pain, infection, and psychological trauma
Traditional medicine alternatives to bear bile exist and are widely available

Welfare Considerations

Bear bile farming is one of the most concentrated forms of sustained animal suffering. Bears live for years or decades in crush cages that prevent almost all movement. Bile extraction — via catheters, open wounds, or bile-milking machines — causes constant pain and infection. Most bears show severe psychological distress including repetitive stereotypies. Effective herbal and synthetic substitutes for bear bile exist, making the practice medically unnecessary as well as ethically indefensible.

What You Can Do

Avoid all products containing bear bile
Support organizations rescuing and rehabilitating bile farm bears
Advocate for international trade bans on bear bile products
Raise awareness about available alternatives to bear bile in traditional medicine