All across Asia, bear bile is in demand by traditional Chinese medicine shops. In countries that farm the bile, mainly China, Vietnam, Korea and Lao, bears are kept inhumanely, in cages that match their size and so offers no room for movement.

And twice a day, their bile is extracted and exported to shops throughout Asia.

The bile is traditional medicine for a range of illnesses.

There are an estimated 10,000 caged bears in China, 4,000 in Vietnam, 1,400 in Korea and 100 in Lao.

In the wild, the Asiatic and Malayan Sun bears live between 25 to 30 years. In bile farms many animals don't make it past their 10th year. Many die earlier. All are traumatised and suffer illnesses.

Animal Concerns Research and Education Society, better known by its acronym, ACRES based in Singapore is one NGO committed to ending bear bile farming in Asia.

Louis Ng, executive director of ACRES says that the problem needs to be tackled on two fronts -- the users of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) and the farms themselves.

He says that efforts to educate the TCM merchants and the general population have been effective in Singapore, reducing the number of shops selling the bile from 4 out of 5 to 1 out of 5 shops.

Tackling the farms is being done in collaboration with other efforts and through efforts in getting each government to cooperate.

ACRES themselves are focusing on Lao and have secured that government's cooperation to set up a centre to rehabilitate and care for bears that have rescued from bile farms.

Ng says there are really no reasons to consume bear bile for the ailments that it is supposed to alleviate. "There are 50 herbs that have the same properties as bear bile," he says.

http://www.acres.org.sg/

http://www.acres.org.sg/campaigns/current/keepingendangeredoutoftcm.html