In China, over 10,000 moon bears are kept in tiny cages on what are known as ‘bile farms’ and around another 1,000 bears suffer the same fate in Vietnam. On these commercial farms moon bears have their bile extracted regularly, not only to be used in traditional Chinese medicine, but also in many common household products.

Various very painful methods are used to puncture the bears’ abdomen to extract bile, causing the bears to suffer severe infections. Most bear bile farms keep the bears constantly locked up in cages that are often so small that the bears cannot turn or stand on all fours. Some bears are caged already as cubs and never released, and can live in their tiny cages for up to 30 years. The bears are usually dehydrated, starved, and suffer from infections, diseases and malignant tumours, which often end up causing their death.

Despite a large number of efficient and affordable plant-based and synthetic alternatives, demand for products containing bear bile is constant in several countries in Asia, as well as in Australia, Canada and the United States.

The Perfect World Foundation decided years ago to work to support the combat of the most dreadful of all the industries involving wild animals – bear bile farming. Bear bile is used in traditional Chinese medicine and the cruel treatment of the bears to produce this product is a frightful process.

The Perfect World Foundation is working closely with organizations in Asia to save bears in captivity on bile farms, in order to rehabilitate and care for the bears, and give them the happy life these playful animals deserve. Campaigns to stop the bile farm industry are of utmost importance, and we need a great deal of support and donations from our sponsoring partners to get the Chinese government to ban this terrible industry and trade once and for all. Our work will be finished when the bile farms are gone and the bile trade ends.

Create awareness around the horrifying treatment of moon bears kept captive at bile farms, find out and learn as much as you can, and then share it with friends and family, in conversations, on social media – knowledge is power. Together we can influence change.

With us you can also Volunteer Travel and experience wildlife conservation projects around the world. Donations and sponsoring partnerships are crucial for us to continue our work to save the moon bears.