Page 9 - Animals Asia Review 2015

End Bear Bile Farming

The world’s most exploited bear

Moon bears are the world’s most poached and smuggled bears,
according to a 2015 report from Interpol. The report estimates

the trade is worth US$2 billion, with wild bear bile fetching up to
65 times that of a farmed bear.

It identiies Asia’s moon bears – prized for their bile – as the
most sought after of the world’s eight bear species, with
products from wild bears in

particular demand. The report
Before bear farming began
will be an important negotiating in the 1980s, bears were
tool for us, as it contradicts bear killed

farmers’ claims that the legal
breeding of bears for their bile
reduces poaching of animals in for their gall-bladders,
the wild.
which store the bile.

meet our cover boy

Murphy is one of the youngest cubs we’ve ever rescued.

When this little sun bear moved into our Vietnam sanctuary
in July, he was still learning to walk. At just 6-8 weeks of age,
Murphy’s mother was killed by a poacher so he could be

caged and sold into a life of misery. He was found in a
traficker’s backpack.

Murphy is the 32nd bear cub raised at our Vietnam rescue centre
Song Sot was the sole survivor on a bile farm in Halong Bay.
He's safe with us now thanks to your kindness.
since 2008. Without the support of kind people like you, these
babies would have spent their entire lives as living bile taps or
tourist attractions in tiny cages.

Today there’s no stopping this little barrel of energy and curiosity.
Murphy is into everything – splashing in water, scampering up What we do
In China, where bear bile farming is still legal under
ropes and over climbing frames, and snifing out hidden treats.
And he’s made good friends with his den mate Goldie.
certain conditions, Animals Asia focuses on public
awareness and reducing demand for bile. We also work
with the authorities to close the worst of the farms and
Captured without the chance to learn the skills to care for
themselves and with no safe area for their release, bears like lobby for a ban on the industry. We have a sanctuary in
Murphy will spend the rest of their lives at our sanctuary. Sadly, Chengdu, and have rescued over 400 bears since 2000.
our staff are now experts in the care of baby moon and sun

bears – these beautiful animals should, of course, be in the wild.

‘
As well as maintaining the sanctuary
grounds, we're also growing herbs that

can be used as alternatives to bear

bile. The herb garden is very popular

among visitors, and most importantly,

it shows them that bear bile is totally

unnecessary. I am happy tobe helping
’
the bears in this small way.

Murphy was just a baby still learning to walk when he arrived
Xue Yuchang
with us in July 2015.
Horticulural Worker, China sanctuary

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