Captive Animals

Captive Bear Bile Farming: An Ongoing Crisis

Bear bile farming continues across parts of Asia despite widespread condemnation, subjecting thousands of bears to lifelong confinement and painful extraction procedures.

Key Facts

An estimated 12,000-20,000 bears are held on bile farms primarily in China and Vietnam
Bears are confined in cages sometimes so small they cannot stand or turn around
Bile is extracted through surgically created holes, catheters, or manual extraction
Bear bile can be replaced by synthetic alternatives and herbal medicines
Major veterinary and conservation organizations worldwide condemn the practice

Welfare Considerations

Farmed bears exhibit extreme physical and psychological suffering. Permanent confinement causes severe muscle wasting, joint disease, and stereotypic behaviors like head-swaying that indicate profound distress. Many bears develop liver cancer and other diseases from the extraction process. The practice continues partly due to demand for traditional medicine products despite available alternatives.

What You Can Do

Never purchase products containing bear bile or bile-derived ingredients
Support Animals Asia and other organizations rescuing bears from farms
Advocate for legislation banning bear bile farming in remaining countries
Encourage traditional medicine practitioners to adopt plant-based alternatives
Raise awareness about the availability of safe synthetic alternatives to bear bile