Bear bile farming inflicts severe chronic suffering on thousands of bears in Asia. International campaigns have achieved significant victories but the industry persists in several countries.
Bears on bile farms experience among the most severe and prolonged welfare harms of any captive animals. Permanent fistulas or catheters for bile extraction cause chronic infection, pain, and psychological distress. Animals are typically confined in cages too small to stand or turn. The availability of synthetic UDCA removes the pharmaceutical justification for the practice entirely — bear bile farming persists purely for traditional preference and economic reasons. Campaign pressure, legislation, and market alternatives have reduced the industry's scale but have not eliminated it in major producing countries.