Bear bile farming in East Asia confines bears in crush cages to extract bile through painful procedures, representing one of the world's most severe welfare situations.
Bear bile farm conditions represent among the most extreme welfare violations documented. Bears confined in cages too small to stand or turn show severe psychological trauma including repetitive head movements and self-mutilation. Chronic infections at bile extraction sites cause constant pain. Stereotypic behaviors are universal. Some bears have been found with broken teeth from biting cage bars in prolonged distress. Rescued bears require years of rehabilitation, and many never fully recover psychologically from the trauma.