Commerce Of Cruelty
Posted 4th January 2001

In 1993, EIA (Environment Investigation Agency) investigators visited several bear "farms". The largest held up to 450 bears while others, in people's homes had as few as 2 bears. Bear exploitation for "bile farming" is increasing throughout China, not only in large state run industries, but also in small villages and towns. This expansion poses a major increase in the threat to wild bear populations in Asia. By stimulating demand, these "farms" will encourage further illegal international trade in bear products.

The enforcement of CITES regulations, and control over bear "farms" by the Chinese state authorities is weak or non existent. Permits to catch bears protected under Chinese law can be acquired from officials for a price. An estimated 10,000 bears are incarcerated for the purpose of bile extraction with officials plans to increase this to as many as 40,000. In the 1980's as Asian bears declined dramatically, the Chinese government encouraged the setting up of large numbers of bear "farms" which are stocked with wild caught bears. There are unconfirmed reports that unlicensed "farms" are being phased out but thousands of bears remain in appalling conditions in the government sanctioned farms. Investigators were told by the owners of one "farm" in Zhuhai across from Hong Kong that he could buy 100 wild bears for US $1,000 each and that regional forestry officials would provide the necessary permits. Up to several hundred bears, are held in tiny cages.

Twice a day, their bile is "milked" using a metallic tube that has been surgically implanted into their galls. The bears are visibly distressed by the appalling conditions in which they are held. Bear bile is often smuggled by tourists and dealers out of China. Visitors to bear farms in Zhuhai and Chengdu will take bile out of the country with them, often to Hong Kong and Taiwan, in their personal belongings. Most of the bear bile produced from incarcerated bears is made for export either through direct sales to tourists, or through shipment via Hong Kong. Bile is smuggled in liquid form or in a bear remedy produced by one of China's 56 medicine factories. As the production of bear bile of this Appendix 1 bear species is primarily for export, the Chinese government is colluding in the violation of CITES regulations by permitting these "farms" to remain in business.

The profitability of bear "farming" is stimulating demand for bear bile, thereby increasing hunting pressure on wild bear populations. More