China expanding bear farm industry

[Guest guest]

New figures reveal record numbers of bears being farmed for their bile,

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The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) has learnt of a

dramatic increase in the number of bears being farmed for their bile in

China. Chinese officials at this week's meeting in Chile of the Convention

on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) admitted to WSPA that

the number of bears being farmed for their bile has increased by 28% in the

last three years. A record number of 9,000 bears are kept on fewer but

bigger factory-style farms.

 

 

 

The continuing expansion of bear bile farming, which threatens every living

bear by fuelling the worldwide demand for their parts, comes in spite of a

ban on the international trade in bear products and growing protests against

the cruelty of keeping thousands of bears in cages and draining their bile

from open wounds.

 

 

 

These latest findings are significant, given yesterday's decision by CITES

to safeguard bears by maintaining a series of measures aimed at stopping

illegal trade. This will mean that countries with wild populations and/or

where bear products are consumed will now have to report to CITES on the

action being taken to stop illegal trade. China is one such country and

officials have informed WSPA that, while the number of farms has fallen by a

third in the last three years, from 247 to 167, more bear bile is likely to

be produced than ever before for use in Traditional (TCM)

and products such as wines and tonics.

 

 

 

Even three years ago, Chinese authorities acknowledged that, at that time,

China was producing almost twice as much bile annually (7,000 kg) than it

was actually consuming (4,000 kg).

 

 

 

In a worrying new development, officials also suggested that China's long

term intention is to register its farms with CITES as captive breeding

facilities and thereby circumvent existing bans on trade in bear products.

 

 

 

 

WSPA's Libearty Campaign Director, Victor Watkins, said, " China is flouting

international opinion by expanding an incredibly cruel industry that causes

severe suffering to thousands of bears deliberately kept alive with open

wounds from which their bile is taken. We believe that these animals are

the victims of a blatant illegal trade that threatens wild populations.

WSPA strongly urges China to close its bear farms and act quickly to stop

the illegal export trade in bile products, which continue to be used in TCM

despite the availability of suitable humane alternatives. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

....cont./

 

WSPA is calling on CITES to undertake a mission to China. WSPA's new

report, 'The Bear Bile Business', reveals the key role played by China's

bear farms in this illegal trade. The very nature of bear bile farming,

which involves the milking of bile from an open wound, is intrinsically

inhumane.

 

 

 

-ends-

 

 

 

 

 

For further information, interviews with WSPA delegates to CITES, copies of

'The Bear Bile Business', colour photographs and/or broadcast quality

footage, contact:

 

 

 

 

 

Santiago, Chile:

 

 

 

Phil Wilson/Dragan Nastic, WSPA

 

UK Mobile: 00 44 (0)7900 224 801

 

 

 

London, UK:

 

 

 

Jonathan Owen/Debra Ashton; WSPA, 0207 587 5000 (07801 386670)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editors' notes

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Trade in bear bile products is becoming more profitable than ever,

with Chinese officials reporting that prices within China itself having

quadrupled from an average of $240/kg to around $1000/kg. WSPA estimates

the annual production of bear bile in China to now be worth in excess of

$100 million at average international prices.

 

 

 

All eight bear species are listed on the Appendices of CITES; the majority

are listed on Appendix I, where no commercial trade is allowed of species

already at risk of extinction due to trade. These include the Asiatic black

bear; Malayan sun bear; Sloth bear; Giant Panda; Spectacled bear; and Brown

bear (populations in China, Bhutan, Mongolia and Mexico). Due to the

potential risk posed by uncontrolled trade, the polar bear, American black

bears and all other brown bear populations are all listed on Appendix II.

 

 

Victor Watkins, of Libearty Campaign.

of Wildlife.

 

WSPA

World Society for the Protection of Animals.

14th Floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TP. UK

Tel: +44 (020)-7587-5000

Direct: (020)-7587-5011

Fax: (020)-7793-0208

e-mail: victorwatkins

Internet: <http://www.wspa-international.org/>

http://www.wspa-international.org

 

Libearty - the World Campaign for Bears