Bear Bile Farming Welfare | Animal Welfare Hub

Bear bile farming causes extreme suffering to thousands of bears confined in tiny cages for decades — and synthetic alternatives make the practice medically unnecessary.

Key Facts

An estimated 10,000-20,000 bears are held on bile farms in China, Vietnam, and other countries
Bears are typically confined in crush cages that prevent movement for years or decades
Bile is extracted through catheters or permanent holes in the abdomen, causing chronic infection
Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), the active compound, is available synthetically and through plant sources
China has announced plans to phase out bear bile farming but timelines remain unclear

Welfare Considerations

Bear bile farming represents one of the most severe cases of chronic individual animal suffering in any farming system. Bears spend their entire lives in cages too small to turn around in, with permanent abdominal wounds that cause constant pain and infection. The psychological impact of prolonged immobility and isolation in these highly intelligent animals includes stereotypic behaviors, self-mutilation, and profound depression. Synthetic UDCA makes the medical rationale for bear bile extraction obsolete. Sanctuaries rehabilitating bears from bile farms document severe and lasting psychological trauma even after rescue.

What You Can Do

Avoid purchasing traditional medicine products containing bear bile
Support organizations like Animals Asia that rescue and rehabilitate bile farm bears
Advocate for international pressure on governments to close bile farming operations
Spread awareness that synthetic alternatives to bear bile exist and are medically equivalent
Support bans on bear bile imports in your country