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Bile is Vile

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Bile bear.jpg by the Asian Animal Protection Network, CC BY 3.0 Unported
Bilebear2.jpg by the Asian Animal Protection Network, CC BY 3.0



Bear bile farming takes place in countries like China, Vietnam, Laos, and Korea, where bile is popular in traditional medicine. Bile is created in the liver, and stored in the gall bladder. Thirty years ago, the only way to acquire bear bile was to kill a bear, and remove its gall bladder. Of course, now that the bears used in this practice are endangered, farms must offset the cost of illegally acquiring more bears. How do they do this? They prolong their suffering.

Thousands of bears are stuffed into rows upon rows of "crush cages," cages that are typically 2.6ft wide, 4.4 ft tall, and 6.5ft long. Keep in mind that these cages contain animals that can weigh up to 260lbs. Most bears cannot move at all, and those who can are not able to move very much. The cages are made this small on purpose. The bear must be restrained to be "milked" of their bile. When we think of milking an animal, most think of milking a cow--a harmless, everyday thing. But the method by which bears are "milked" of their bile, is not akin to milking at all. It is a far more sinister, far more agonizing process.

When it comes time to extract bile, all of the bear's paws are tied to each corner of their cage. Bile is usually extracted twice a day through an implanted tube, producing 10–20 mL of bile each time; the process is believed to be painful, as the bears can be seen moaning and chewing their paws while being milked. Other methods include pushing a hollow steel stick through the bear's abdomen. The use of metal catheters has been banned, though HSUS writes that bile bears are still seen with catheters in them. The "free drip" method is regarded as more humane. A permanent hole or fistula is made in the bear's abdomen and gall bladder, from which bile drips out freely. The wound is vulnerable to infection and bile can bleed back into the abdomen, causing a high mortality rate. Sometimes the hole is kept open with a perspex catheter, which HSUS writes causes severe pain. Additionally, the bears are sometimes fitted with an iron vest, as otherwise they may hit their stomach, possibly in response to the pain.

Living for 10-12 years under these grueling conditions results in severe mental stress and muscle atrophy. The bears bang their heads against their cages, moan, and chew on their own paws. In addition, they suffer from a variety of physical problems like loss of hair, malnutrition, stunted growth, muscle mass loss, and often have their teeth and claws extracted so that they can't destroy themselves. The Chinese media reported an incident in which a mother bear, having escaped her cage, strangled her own cub and then killed herself by intentionally running into a wall. Bears have even deliberately starved themselves to death to escape the horrendous pain. It can take up to ten days for these bears to starve to death. And when the bears stop producing bile after a few years, they are usually killed.

The worst part? Bear bile isn't necessary to make medicine, and has no reported health benefits that can't be found in modern medicines. Bears are suffering and dying needlessly.

But there is hope. The animal welfare movement is finally finding roots in Asia. In China, there are two Moon Bear rescue centers, and they have taken in 300 bears so far. The Animals Asia Foundation has also rescued 500 Moon Bears, and is working with the Chinese government to end bile farming. The Free the Bears Fund is making huge strides in rescuing hundreds of bears from bile farms, saving them from bear dancing and baiting, and influencing Asian legislation involving animal welfare.



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Comments114
PhantomOfDestiny's avatar
I didn't know this was happening!  Poor bears.....
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