End the bear bile industry

Rows of caged bears in an Asian bear farm, kept for their bile

Up to 20,000 bears are suffering desperately cruel conditions in Asia’s bear bile factories, right now.

They are confined so bile can be extracted from their gall bladders and sold for use in some Traditional Asian Medicine.

The inhumane methods used to extract bile causes severe pain and trauma to the bears, who are restrained in tiny cages. Their suffering is intense. See inside the bear factories>>

WSPA believes the bear bile industry is cruel, unnecessary and must end. Increasing numbers of Traditional Asian Medicine practitioners agree, and are turning to herbal and synthetic alternatives.

The threat to wild bears

A bear caged for its bile in an Asian bear farm
© WSPA

The bear bile industry sometimes argues that by supplying the demand for bear bile their industry protects wild bears.

But WSPA investigations show that in some countries poachers are selling live bears to the industry, and providing gall bladders and bear bile from bear factories for illegal exportation. WSPA also has evidence that the supply of captive bear bile has increased demand for wild bear bile.

The bear bile industry is a threat to vulnerable wild bear populations, especially in south-east Asia.

What is WSPA doing?

WSPA is working to protect wild bears and end the bear bile industry, by:

Working in partnership with Asian governments – using research, education and diplomacy to work for an end to the bear bile industry.
Calling for an end to the illegal trade in bear products.
Working with practitioners and consumers of Traditional Asian Medicine to promote the alternatives to bear bile.

Our approach is working. In 2005 the Vietnamese government committed to phase out the bear bile industry after reaching a Memorandum of Understanding with WSPA. In 2012 the Korean government also announced its intention to end the bear bile industry.

But there is so much more to do.

Help end the bear bile industry in Asia

If you use Traditional Asian Medicine, make sure your practitioner does not use bear bile in any of their treatments. Raising awareness and encouraging the use of alternatives will help protect bears from this cruel industry.

A donation to WSPA will support our work to promote animal welfare worldwide.