Bears face welfare threats ranging from habitat loss and hunting to the cruel practice of bile farming, where thousands of bears are kept in extreme confinement for traditional medicine production.
Bears represent one of the most extreme examples of deliberate infliction of suffering for commercial gain. Bile farming subjects animals with significant neurological complexity to continuous pain, infection, and severe movement restriction. The existence of synthetic alternatives makes this suffering entirely preventable. Beyond farming, bears face welfare challenges across their range from habituation to human food sources, hunting methods including trapping, and habitat fragmentation that creates dangerous conflict situations. Welfare advocacy must address both the specific cruelty of bile farming and the broader landscape of bear welfare challenges.