Do bear bile farms still exist?
It’s still legal in China but not in Vietnam In Vietnam, bear bile farming has been illegal since 1992 but has persisted due to legal loopholes and continuing demand. Working together, Animals Asia and the Vietnam government will rescue every bear and close every farm by 2022.
How many moon bears are left in the world 2021?
However, according to Traffic East Asia, there are 25,000 moon bears left in the world. In another report, the Bear Conservation Action Plan published by the IUCN lists the numbers of moon bears in China as fewer than 20,000 and other estimates by WWF state the figure may be as low as 16,000.
How many moon bears are in captivity?
Animals Asia estimates there are around 600 bears being kept on bile farms in Vietnam, where they are raised in tiny cages, often from a young age. Some bears have lived in a cage for up to 30 years. Sometimes the spaces are so small they are no longer able to move. The reason they are held in captivity for so long?
What is Moon bear bile used for?
Bear bile contains ursodeoxycholic acid. It is purchased and consumed to treat hemorrhoids, sore throats, sores, bruising, muscle ailments, sprains, epilepsy, reduce fever, improve eyesight, break down gallstones, act as an anti-inflammatory, reduce the effects of overconsumption of alcohol, and to ‘clear’ the liver.
Are moon bears aggressive?
On average, several people are attacked and mauled by moon bears every year. Several naturalists have also posited that the moon bear is more aggressive than its American cousin. They hypothesize that because the moon bear shares territory with tigers, it must be more aggressive to survive.
Are Golden Moon bears real?
Description. A captured golden moon bear The moon bear is a recognized species of bear that is native to Asia, also known as the Asiatic black bear. It might be a mere color phase of the regular moon bear, it might be a subspecies, or it might be a new species of bear altogether.
Do moon bears eat people?
Though groups of mothers and their offspring can sometimes be found, the moon bear is a largely solitary creature – preferring to scavenge on its own. Unfortunately, this leads moon bears into quite a bit of conflict with humans. On average, several people are attacked and mauled by moon bears every year.
How many bears are kept in bile farms in China?
Recent developments show that approximately 9,000 bears are kept for bear bile farming. The Chinese government has steadfastly refused to bow to public and international pressure to stop this horrendous cruelty and close these farms. In fact, as reported, bears now number 9,000 from 7,002 last year in Bile Farms across China.
Where did Crystal the Moon Bear come from?
The Chinese ‘Moon’ Bear, Crystal, sponsored by the WLPA, was rescued from the China Bear Farms by the Animals Asia Foundation and is now living at their Chengdu Sanctuary. She is a small, middle- aged bear with a huge crescent on her chest and fur which is ebony black, shiny and very shaggy.
Where does bear farming take place in the world?
But that’s exactly what happens in Laos, which has become a relatively new hot spot for bear farming. The practice involves locking bears in tiny cages for repeated sessions of painful, invasive extraction of their bile.
What kind of bile does a moon bear have?
The bear bile industry targets mostly sun bears and Asiatic black bears, also known as moon bears, which both get their names from the tuft of white hair on their chests. The bears’ gallbladders contain a yellow liquid—bile—that helps them digest fat. People have used this bile in Asian medicine for more than a thousand years.