Jenny Cottle
Bear bile farming is a horrendous practise where the animals suffer unbelievably, but this week Animals Asia announced they are taking over a bear bile farm in the Chinese city of Nanning and turning it into a rehabilitation centre and bear refuge.
Animals Asia is currently rescuing 130 moon bears that live at Flower World a state owned bear bile farm in the southern Chinese province of Guangxi. This will be the largest rescue of bears living in these conditions anywhere in the world.
“Particularly in the last two years, there has been a lot of public discussion about the practice of extracting bear bile from live bears. Most people oppose it, so we consider prospects for the bear bile business will be less and less optimistic,” Flower World General Manager Yan Shaohong told reporters.
As awareness of this practise has spread, there has been outcry internationally and in China against this practise. In 2011, fury among Chinese internet users erupted after news that a Chinese company that extracts bear bile hoped to list on the stock market. The firm eventually withdrew its public listing application, although it didn’t give a reason.
Animals Asia has been at the forefront of raising awareness and to date have rescued 400 bears bringing them to their sanctuaries in Chengdu, China and Tam Dao, Vietnam, to live in comfortable dens and semi-natural enclosures where they are able to recover in safety and spend the remaining years of their lives in the company of other bears.
If you would like to support Animals Asia with this wonderful rescue and create a safe and happy future for these and other Chinese bears, you can donate here www.animalsasia.org/au
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