Bear bile farming is a very horrible practice. It causes pain and suffering to poor bears, which are rendered helpless because they can’t move or attack to defend themselves. During the process of bile extraction, it has been observed that the bears twitch, bite the bars, gnash their teeth and utter distress calls. And afterwards, they are seen curling up, shivering, and holding their paws to their stomach.

Most bears cannot move and even stand because their muscles have deteriorated from lack of movement. The cages where the bears are held captive are so small, hardly even large enough to contain their occupants. And to prevent injuries to the farmers, the bear’s canine teeth and claws are often removed. They simply cannot defend themselves from this very painful process of bile extraction.

But what really is the fuss over bear bile? Bile is a liquid that is produced by the liver and is stored in the gallbladder. It is an acidic mixture composed of acids, cholesterols, water and electrolytes that help in food digestion. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners have been using bear bile for at least three thousand years already, and for a variety of reasons. The source of the bile is the gallbladder of a bear, and it can be collected by killing the bear. During the year 1980s, a method originally developed in Korea was adapted by the Chinese government when they encouraged commercialization of bear farming. Now, bear farmers can repeatedly remove bile from the bears while they are alive.

The process of bile extraction is highly inhumane. To harvest the bile, a connection has to be established from the gallbladder to the surface. This is done using any of the three ways: an insertion of a metal tube, insertion of a plastic tube, or a tissue bridge (in essence, a leak) created between the gallbladder and the skin.

Most of the time, these are performed by unskilled and untrained individuals who are not up to modern veterinary standards. And since the body of the bear will try to exclude a metal or plastic tube, it can cause scarring and damage to both the outside and inside of the bear. There are some cases where hot pieces of metal are inserted to prevent the hole from healing and closing – without any form of sedation or anesthesia.

Farmed bears are in pain, agony and suffering. Many die during or soon after the process. Several of them are malnourished and small. Most of them are missing a limb. There are many that are hairless. They do not have permanent access to water. Bear bile farming causes tremendous suffering, all to harvest a substance that is obsolete and now completely unnecessary.

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