You don’t need to be an animal activist or advocate to
oppose bear farming; bear bile farming is brutal, cruel and unnecessary. Most Americans are not even aware that bear bile farming exists in Asia. And right now, most Americans have no idea that the domestic
sale and export of bear gallbladders, taken from our bears, is an active black market in the
United States. This American black market works with the
Asian bear bile market, and this global trade affects our black, brown (grizzly)
and polar bear populations. In addition, bear bile products are illegally imported into the United States from Asia. This black market supports the Asian bile industry.
We started this website because we want to help educate Americans and others around the world about the bear bile industry, and because we emphatically oppose bear farming in Asia. This site is
a place to learn about bear bile, bear bile farming, and how these relate to bear poaching in the United States. This site will explain why the bear bile industry in no longer necessary. Who are we?
We are two private citizens, not affiliated with any organization. We’ve researched these issues to provide you with accurate, current information. We invite your input to help further our understanding of the bear bile industry, both here and abroad. Your involvement can make a difference in this cause.
The site is simple.
Each section is brief and includes selected links. You can, if you want, sign up for our email
list and contact us. We will respond to your questions, and can provide you with more information as needed. Your information may help us improve
and update the site. In fact, the
information here was assembled from our conversations with bear biologists, physicians, enforcement agents, hunters, Chinese medicine practitioners and
many others who had useful knowledge. This
site has no pictures or videos of bear farming. We will
provide links to bear farming images and videos, but be warned, they can be
difficult to look at and very upsetting.
We two private citizens, aggrieved by
bear bile farming and outraged that bears in the U.S. are killed to fuel this
trade, are trying to represent all the many individuals who have taken time to
help us in our research and efforts. As two individuals there is little we can do. As an aggregate of interested and informed
advocates, much is possible. Help protect bears in the United States and end the suffering of bears in Asian bear farms. Help send a message to the world
that U.S.
citizens will not allow our bears to be part of the international market in bear
bile.
James Riopelle M.D. Eric Busch M.D. New Orleans,
La Updated October 7, 2008
"Those who wish to pet and baby wildlife love them, but those who
respect their natures and wish to let them live their natural lives,
love them more." - Edwin Way Teale, author and naturalist
"Those who wish to pet and baby wildlife love them, but those who
respect their natures and wish to let them live their natural lives,
love them more."