1000 Flowers for the Planet - #93 Protect Bears

1000 Flowers for the Planet - #93 Protect Bears

Guest Writer:

In some areas of Asia, there are bears being kept captive in tiny cages so that their bile may be harvested and used in traditional Asian medicines. Bile is a substance produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder, and it aids in digestion, making it an essential bodily function. The bears are kept in cages in which they cannot stand up, or really move around at all. They need to be restricted like this so that the bile can be extracted which may be done in several ways. A tube may be inserted permanently into the gallbladder to drain out the bile, or a long needle may be used periodically. In some cases, the bears are raised to a young age and then slaughtered so that the gallbladder may be removed. They may have their teeth and / or claws extracted to minimise harm they can cause to their captors. The bears may also suffer from hair loss, malnutrition and lack of muscle due to their restriction. They also suffer horribly mentally.

Captive bears can usually live for up to 35 years, but in this environment they are lucky to reach 10 – 12 years. Bears are beautiful creatures, and black bears, which are commonly used in this practice, are endangered. Let’s work together to re-educate these farmers into a new trade – we cannot simply take away their livelihood and tell them what they’re doing is wrong and leave them unable to feed their families. We must show them that there are other ways, and that we are willing to help them to change their practices.