A Teary Mother Bear Killed Her Baby and Committed Suicide – A Heart Breaking True Story
Traps were laid in the wild illegally. When the bear was trapped, she lost not only her paws and four limbs for a good fortune of money, but she was locked up in the cage and had to endure daily torture of bile collection up to 25 or 30 years. This bile collection process requires a hole to be cut in the bear stomach and an iron pipe inserted into the bear gall bladder. Bile was then taken several times a day. The entire procedure was done without anaesthetic in order to save cost. The pain was excruciating. The bear could not bear it and attempted to kill herself by punching her stomach. However, human prevented this suicide act by forcing the bear to wear an iron vest. With this iron vest, her movement was restricted; committing suicide was an impossible task. A mother bear knew it too well. When the bear worker wanted to open up her cub’s stomach, the mother bear broke open the cage and went after the cub. After failing to release the chained cub, she hugged the cub. The mother bear then killed the cub to save it from a life of hell.
A friend asked me for a favour. He needed my assistance to manage a bear farm for a few days. The location was remote and unknown by many.
I reached there at night. It was just before dawn, but I was still not able to sleep. I could hear the wind blow, as if someone was weeping with pain and hopelessness. At that very moment, I heard the sound of the door moving and heavy breathing. I sat up, pulled to a stand and turned on the light. "Who is it?" There was no answer. The silence was terrifying.
I reached out and grabbed a broom. Gently, I walked to the door and with a quick pull, opened it. Ha ! It’s a bear cub curling up her body looking sheepishly as me. I extended my hands and the cub waddled towards me. She rested her small palms on my hands. Then she licked my hand with her warm and soft tongue. It was so heart-warming.
Suddenly, I heard commotion from far. The cub quickly went under my bed.
Then, there was a knock on the door.
I opened the door and asked, “What’s up?”
A man said, “A bear cub just escaped from the bear farm. Has it come to disturb you?”
“Oh, yes, there it is.” I pointed at the cub’s hiding place.
The man squat down and grabbed the cub with one hand. With such roughness, he pulled the bear out and tied her four limbs to a long wooden stick. They lifted the stick and the cub was carried away from the room. As she left, she turned and gave me a begging and pitiful look.
After dawn, the worker on-duty, Zhang took me to see the bears. In a few thousand square meters wide and tall building, six cages were placed in an open space. In every cage, there laid a black and weary bear. What puzzled me was the shining metal around their bodies.
Zhang told me, “This iron vest is used to extract bile from the bear body. Now, the price of this bile is 300 yuan per gram.” He took me to the first cage, gesturing to me, “Let’s start the bile extraction."
I saw two sturdy workers tied up the bear’s body and pulled, through a pulley, a rope that was connected to the iron vest. They shouted, “Hi....!” and I saw the bear’s body contracted as they pulled. Suddenly, the bear gave out a hysterical roar, “Woo....!”. That was not really a roar. It has changed to a desolate and sorrowful cry. Her eyes showed endurance of excruciating pain. With restricted movement and space, she tried to struggle with her four limbs, kicking the ground with, “Ze la, Ze la” sound, which was such a pain to hear. At that very instant, I could hear the dripping sound of liquid coming out from a steel pipe under the bear’s stomach.
The workers then slowly released the rope followed by another long hard pull, as they repeated the extraction procedure. Another hoarse cry was heard. I saw the tears drop from the bear’s eyes. Similar to how a human would response to pain; the bear clenched its teeth and bent its body. It was such a heart-breaking scene! I could not bear to watch any further. I turned and walked away.
At that moment, I suddenly realised, the moaning cry before dawn came from these tragic bears.
Zhang followed me to the door. With trembling voice, I asked him, “Have you lost your humanity? These are living things!”
Zhang dismissed it, “Not that we have any choice. This is how we earn a living.”
Calming down, I asked him with a heavy heart, “How often do you need to extract the bile?”
He replied, “That depends. If the bear has good supply of bile, we will do it once or twice a day. The bear with less bile will be performed once in two days. Generally, a bear can produce 2000g of bile annually for 10 years.”
I trembled. Twice a day for 10 years, these are monstrous numbers! The bear has to go through such deadly torture twice a day, living a life without hope, for 10 years; 7200 times of flesh piercing pain; enduring it day after day, year after year. Even if this happens to the strongest human, he will not be able to sustain it. My heart ached with pain.
I wanted to leave. Zhang said, “In a short while, a surgery will be performed on the cubs. You cannot leave at this critical moment. You are representing Mr. Liu. If you leave and something goes wrong, who is going to bear the responsibility?”
Reluctantly, I followed him back to the bear room. Under his instruction, four sturdy workers brought in a cub and tied it up with chain. The cub looked at everyone with horror. When she saw me, her eyes brightened up. The cub dropped to her knees and begged me. I felt tears in my eyes.
Zhang waved his hands, instructing the workers to start the surgery.
In great despair, the cub lifted her head and cried, “Wooo....” She burst into tears. It was the most sorrowful and soul-touching cry I have ever heard in my life. It was as if knowing the human language, the cub shouted out the word, “Mom....”. Even the workers were startled.
At that very moment, an extra-ordinary shocking scene took place. A bear in a cage let out a loud cry. With her large hands and all her strength, she pushed open the thick iron bar and jumped out of the cage. The workers were terrified and fled away immediately.
Startled, I didn’t move. It was as if my legs had grown lead and I was not able to move an inch. However, the bear ignored my presence. She rushed to the cub. With her large hands, in awkward movement, she frantically tried to release the cub from the chain. Despite her best effort, she failed to release the cub. So, she kissed the cub and nestled her in her arms with a heavy heart. She licked the cub’s tears lovingly, crying, “Hmm ..hmmm....” to soothe the cub. The cub cried out, “Hoooo....”, as if calling her mom, asking her for rescue.
Suddenly, the bear let out a loud cry. With her large hands, she strangled the cub’s neck with all her might. She roared as she strangled until the cub’s body fell to the ground. Then, she released her hands. Looking at her dead child, she whimpered, as if saying, ”My child, I cannot save you, but you are not going to suffer any more. I’m so sorry.”
She bit her own hair. Then, she grabbed the iron vest and pulled it off her body. Together with the vest, the metal pipe flew out of the gallbladder. The fur at her stomach was covered with red blood as it dripped out of her stomach. She let out another cry, as if she has gone hysterical, and went towards the wall. “Bang!”. The wall collapsed.
I was in shock. I could not recall how I left this brutal place.
For a whole day, my mind was preoccupied with these tragic scenes. I asked myself, “Was the mother bear’s move an act of motherly love? I believe so. It was an act of helpless motherly love. At that moment and place, she did not have the ability to help her child to escape from the twenty years of hellish torture. Under such helpless and desperate situation, she can only destroy the beloved child she has created. She then took the same path to follow her child, hoping to accompany her. “
Bear Bile Farming
Bear bile farming is still practised in Asia where the bears are kept in small cages and bile is extracted for traditional medicine. There are a few methods used for bile extraction. The most recent technique is called ‘free dripping’. It involves making a permanent hole or fistula into the bears’ abdomen and gall bladder.
During bile milking, a metal tube will be used to poke through the hole to reach the gall bladder and break the membrane, so that the bile is released. This process is often done without anaesthetic and sterilization.
The wound from the bile extraction was never closed. So, the wound never recovered. After months and years of this physical torture, many of these bears suffer from infections, diseases, tumour, cancer growth and death from peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum, the serous membrane, that lines part of the abdominal cavity and viscera).
The bear in the photo above had liver cancer. Prior to rescue, this bear’s paws were chopped off, and bile extraction was performed a few times a day on her.
The iron vest worn by the bear was already in bad shape; it showed countless times of bile extraction have been performed on the bear.
Some people think that the bear’s paw is one of the best delicacies in the world, and it tastes the best when the paw is cut alive. This is truly absurd.
Jill Robinson Needs Support in Bear Rescue Operations
Mother of the China black bear, Asian Animal Protection Association founder Jill Robinson, carved a tattoo of two Chinese character, “月熊” (Moon Bear), on her right shoulder. For years, she has been running around for the black bear rescue operations. She wanted to build a larger rescue centre for the bear, but until now, the fund is not ready.
The photo above showed Jill with the bear she has just rescued. The bear was wearing the suicide-prevention iron-vest.
This bear has been kept in a cage for 22 years. She is not able to turn her body and stand up straight. All she has is pain. No trees, no sunshine, only darkness! No freedom, no ending, only torture!
Black bear suffers excruciating pain during bile extraction. To prevent the bile from spilling everywhere, the bear who wears the iron vest can only stay in a fixed posture in the cage. Only the head can move freely, the rest of the body are tied up and are unmovable. Every bear that has been through bile extraction is as thin as a skeleton. The only movement they can make is to desperately shake their head.
Bears Rescued from Torturous Bile Farm
Excerpt from Wikipedia : Statistics of Bile Bears
Population figures for the Moon bears in China are causing concern, with estimates ranging from 50,000 to as low as 16,000. Some estimates put the total Asia-wide population as low as 25,000.
There are estimated to be 4,000 bile bears in Vietnam, where their bile can sell for 100,000 dong (~ US$6.25) a millilitre (with 37,500 dong a week regarded as the poverty line for an urban resident), and around 9,000 bile bears in China. The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) conducted a study in 1999 and 2000, and estimates that there are 247 bile-bear farms in China, holding 7,002 bears, though the Chinese government has called the figures "pure speculation."
In July 2000, Animals Asia Foundation, a Hong-Kong based charity, signed an agreement with the Chinese government to remove 500 endangered Moon Bears from the worst bile farms in Sichuan province, and work towards ending the practice. Today, the China Bear Rescue has placed 219 previously farmed Moon Bears at a Sanctuary in Chengdu, and is helping to advance the concept of animal welfare in China.
The Chinese consider bear farms a way to reduce the demand on the wild bear population. Officially 7,600 captive bears are farmed in China. According to Chinese officials, 10,000 wild bears would need to be killed each year to produce as much bile. The government sees farming as a reasonable answer to the loss of wild bears from poaching, and at the same time are indifferent to the cruelty issues that concern Western animal rights activists. However, the government's agreement to allow the rescue of 500 bears may represent a softening of this stance.
Bear Bile Consumption Can Cause Liver and Kidney Damage
Vietnam’s top traditional medicine doctor, Doctor Nguyen Xuan Huong, and his equally eminent Chinese counterpart, Professor Liu Zhengcai, have both warned consumers against the bear bile intake, and cited recent medical cases where consumers are suffering from liver and kidney damage.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Do Not Need Bear Bile
Bear bile tasted bitter and is considered cold medicine. It has been used in China’s pharmacopoeia for thousands of years. It is used to remove heat from the body, to treat high fever, liver ailments and sore eyes.
There are many natural alternatives to bear bile for these treatments that are cruelty free. Bear bile can be replaced easily and cheaply by herbs and synthetics. No one will die if they do not consume the body fluid of bears. On the contrary, there are cases published in Vietnam where people were dying of liver and kidney disease after bear bile consumption. For some people who took it for increasing sexual strength, theyare now impotent.
In fact, many Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctors are furious about bear farming. They could not accept how the body fluid of mentally and physically degraded animal can be in harmony with nature, the core belief of traditional medicine of health.
The President of the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Lixin Huang, has actually demanded that the bear farmers stop using traditional medicine as their excuse for farming bears, saying that ‘we don’t need it’.
Jill Robinson ran a “Healing without Harm” campaign and observed thirty Traditional Chinese Medicine shops removing bear bile from their shelves in China. Some of these shop owners even burnt it for public demonstration in the streets. All this was performed in front of the local police who also gave them the big thumbs up.
Bear bile is not a rare and precious traditional Chinese medicine. It can be completely replaced by herbal or synthetic medicine. Please spread this information around, so that people are aware, so that more people will stop buying these bear bile products.
With no demand for bear bile, there is no supply.
Let us save the black bear. Let us all do something about it.
Another Group to End bear Farming
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© Ingenira 2011
Last updated on February 16, 2014
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I agree with BenjaminB above. Also, do you think the bear was really thinking it was going to end its own life? This is terrible. What are they thinking? Sticking pipes into their stomach, and not letting them move is just harsh. Why would they like this better than the other options avail?
Oh and eating bear paws alive.... Who thought of that? This is all sad.
sarclair, the bear paws are not eaten alive. They are cut while the bear is alive, and then the bear paw is cooked before consuming it. Here is a link to cooked bear paw.
Thank you so much for writing this and your report.. This is a Disgusting practice and those who chose to be involved in it deserve no special mention, bar to say that I hope that one day they are exposed to such treatment themselves or merely dealt to by the bears! Jill does a great job and has a huge following. Eventually some of the greed that drives this entire heartlessness, will be greeted with a well placed bullet, I'm sure! Thanks for sharing Ingenira
Thank you, Benjamin B, for leaving your honest thoughts and feelings.
Pearldiver, thanks for your comment. Jill Robinson has really done a splendid job to help the rescued bear recovering from the ordeal. Have a look at this rescued bear, Wilfred :
This is horrendous. I can't believe this is actually going on. I will pass this on.
@ExpandYourMind, thank you for your positive contribution. :)
What a sad story. The greed of money gets in the way of treating living things with compassion.
i believe in alternative medicine but not if it involves animal cruelty. how can some people patronize these kinds of products that do horrible things to those poor animals
I think I'm going to have nightmares.
Yes, healingrose, it is really really sad to know that people would earn a living with no consideration of another human's (in this case animal) well being.
midnightbliss, some people only see the profit they are getting, not the suffering in the animals. And, since they did it with low cost operation, there are problems with the products too.
Betty, sorry to have caused disturbance in you. My mother could not take it too and didn't even finish reading this article.
I actually wept as I wrote the articles. I was determined to let many people know about this cruel treatment to the bear. So that more people will come forward to put a stop to it.
As more people spread this story electronically or by mouth, the influence will spread. The farmers will feel the pressure builds up and be discouraged. Their income will sooner or later be affected.
What a heart breaking story, I really feel sorry for the mother bear
Thanks for reading, speedbird.
Ingenira, my heart breaks for the bears being submitted to such torture. I'm pretty sure God didn't put His creatures on earth to be treated so horribly. Thank you for bringing this to awareness. Poor bears....
This is beyond outrageous. These people should be executed.
He is watching from above, and I believe these people will receive their punishment when the right time comes.
Thanks for reading, Salliebb.
Outrageous is too mild a word! I don't know any harsher ones that would do. I find myself often appalled with what people will do in the name of "culture" - like this.
Thanks so much for sharing and I hope that many people will read and respond accordingly.
Love and peace
Tony
Enjoyed your article.keep it up
it's informative, touching and made me a bit hate the human race =( lately our neighbor placed a dog in a sack and killed it for food, I really wanted to kill them for that! I'm really an animal lover and hearing such things truly crushes my heart how could they be so devilish?
btw nice hub
Thank you, Tony, for your heartfelt comment.
Glad to see you again, crystolite. :)
Claudin, animal cruelty is something really difficult for many people to swallow, and even more so for animal lovers. Thanks for your comment and sharing.
It's hard to believe such practices exist. Sure hope Jill Robinson's rescue efforts are successful. I love animals and this story was very upsetting to me.
Thank you, Diana for reading and your comment. Jill Robinson efforts can be read in Animal Asia website here :
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?UID=PCPEAT3QN
I think I will put up some photos of her rescue work here.
All quite dramatic Ingenira. This is an awesome story. I was not aware of Bear Bile Farming. You have educated well. Terrible, I feel so sad for the bears.
Great to see you again, Treasuresofheaven. Bear bile farmig is more known in Asia, though there are still a lot of Asians un-aware of it. Thank you for reading and leaving your comment.
Ingenira, this is absolutely horrifying. I can't begin to imagine what type of human being could inflict such horror on another living creature. I believe these people doing this should have it done to them.
thanks so much, KoffeeKlatch Gals, for reading and your comment. There are many other animal cruelties around which are only known to a small group of people.
OMG, humans are really inhuman... the story is really touching, I can't imagine how the mother bear felt during that time. Being tortured for ten years, I think if it would have been a day, I would have gone crazy.
Thanks for translating the story into english, Ingenira.
No problem, Ken. That's the least I could do.
what is alarming is that this country allowing torturing animals is growing in its strenth... but who pays for the bile medicines? I guess it is us, the wealthy western ones. There should be a ban all over the world on products which are produced by torturing someone. Or ... who will be tortured next when China gets in full strenth? I hope not humans...
It's sickening that some people can tolerate extreme cruelty to animals. Thanks for highlighting this issue!
Thank you, bambatik for your heartfelt comment. There are many traditional Chinese Medicine followers, and they normally follow the physician recommendation to take the bear bile. If they are aware of the unnecessity of buying this expensive bear bile and other substitue are available, the demand for bear bile will naturally dropped. However, I like your suggestion to ban these product from producing since how much benefits can we get from these tortured animals?
Thank you so much, Patrick for reading and leaving your thoughts on the page.
Pls join Animals Asia Foundation on FB, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Animals-Asia-Foundat...
This was a heart wrenching story. I found it difficult to continue reading it because of the inhumanity. But I read it through because I felt I cannot pretend this didn't happen. Educating the public about such cruelty is a good thing to do. Public outcry is the only thing that will change this, and hopefully soon.
Thanks a lot, Ken, for the FB link. I think I will include that in my hub above, so that more people will join.
thank you for you sincere comment, toknowinfo. Yes, it is such a heart wrenching story. I was not able to take it the first knew about the story.
The consumers should be made aware of this animal cruelty, and stop consuming it.
This was sad story about bear. I hope the best for their population. As human we should taking good care of them. Very well written. I love your presentation. Well done, my friend. Rated up!
Prasetio
thank you so much, Prasetio. :)
I didnt know about this bile farming and as you said there are better resources out there to make these natural remedies. I hope this does stop soon. It was awsome when tiger balm was no longer made out of real tigers. It's a shame these bears and other animals like the gorillas in africa have to be harmed so brutally for inconsequential items. Keep up the great work of getting this info out there.
Appreciate your comment, Lyn Stewart. I am glad to hear that less tiger and gorillas have to be harmed brutally for unnecessary products too. Consumers' awareness is the powerful key to stop animal cruelties.
Ouch. I can't begin to tell you how your hub left me heartbroken. But this is really true. Hope we can help them.
This hub is very interesting. I am touched of what Ive read.Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you, funmontreal girl for reading and leaving comment.
Thank you for reading, dutchman.
This story shocks and saddens me to the core
same here, Mrs. Menagerie.
The tears are running down my face. There is no crueler species on earth than the human(?) one.
pippap, I wept as I knew it the first time too. How could human be so cruel ? Thanks for reading and leaving your thoughts.
Ingenira; you are to be commended for having the fortitude and personal integrity to have published such a hub. I am beyond saddened, sickened and horrified. Human beings really are amazingly cruel and heartless. This story is just breaking my heart. I agree with those who place themselves in the forefront to save these beautiful bears. I am always surprised that so much of human kind remains in the dark ages when it comes to our relationship to this earth and other animals. How we have not evolved beyond blind, desperate ignorance is a constant source of feelings of frustration, anger, disappointment and dislike of my own kind. You are an angel on earth for allerting others to this ongoing travesty. You are a wonderful soul, Ingenira. Bless you and let's hope and help end bile milking. Kathy aka Lucky Cats
Kathy, thank you so much for your most sincere comment. I think I am doing the least to help. There are so many animal cruelty taken place in this world. Yesterday, I just watched a video on how the male chickens was slaughtered using a rotating machine since they do not lay eggs and they don't grow as big as the female hen. It's too sad and heart wrenching to watch it.
My prayer is that we will produce new generations who are kinder to the animals and people around the world. We can start that from home.
My prayer is the same as yours, Ingenira. I am just heartsick at the pain, terror, suffering and meanness we inflict upon animals. The videos are so hard to see...I don't even view them anymore..I know what's happening..and it is almost paralyzing to see it. It is tragic. Thank goodness for you and others like you. I have shared this hub on FB in hopes that my animal welfare/rights friends will respond. Much love and respect for you, Ingenira.
http://www.change.org/petition?utm_source=google&u...
Ingenira....here is a site "Petition Online" which is free and it works. You have information which is needed to begin a petition which is placed on FaceBook...these are often very successful in convincing governments to enact laws against such things, or pull licenses of people doing such things. If you can't open it...let me know...I'm also going to send the link to you via "contact Ingenira" here on HubPages. Good luck and let me know if you need any help.
This is a disgusting act of insanity. Activists sometimes go over board because that's what it take to stop societies insanity.
Yes, we need to stop this act of insanity. Nowadays, before I take any un-usual Chinese food or medicine, I will look up in the internet to be sure that no cruel acts are done to these animals.
this is so wrong i dont think i have ever been so sick about something as i am with this how can they do that to the black bear i find what they are doing down right disgusting makes me want to throw up i dont understand how people can do this it dont matter what country they are from this has to stop it is bad when a mother bear kills her own to save it from a life of that kind of pain
Those humans are really pathetic. I'm pretty sure that there are lots of other better jobs that they can do for living, just if they use their skill, brain and heart. Torturing other creatures for money is all unbeliavably ridiculous and cruel at once. They lost sanity and their humanity.
This form of animal cruelty is absolutely barbaric!!! Reading this story made me cry... I cannot get the thought of the bear crying out of my head... This is medieval torture!!! My heart goes out to all the bears that have to endure this pain and suffering... Jill Robinson, you are an inspiration... Well done for all you have done & are still doing to help these poor creatures... I feel so desperately sad now...
I have prayed that God can forgive these monsters and me as well because I can never forgive the actions by human beings supposedly the " Higher Intelligence " of the earth.
Higher intelligence maybe but at a cost of less and less
emotion and ability to be horrified by even the most gruesome of practices. There is no explaining or excuse or reasoning for why it might be ok for these serial killer/torturers to want to do this to any of Gods creatures. What makes them different from a person who would absolutely never be able to do this even to feed their own family? How can a person love an individual who does this ? These dealers of torture and death should hunted and brought down by the very animals they have degraded.
~90k USD per bear.. ~540,000 for 6 bears - operational costs of like $10,000 per year and food of like $10000 for them. Worker costs of like $50,000 or less.
Owner makes a lot of money per year. Pay officials $100,000 and they don't do anything.
I am sure there are multimillion dollar businesses doing this in China right now. It is the people that need to stop consuming these things because the government doesn't give a crap. They will pretend they do, however, it is easy to pay the officials off because they love money. So, people need to stop buying stupid stuff, with your words, you help with that. I am glad you're spreading the news to the others.
This story breaks my heart...I am an animal advocate and thought I had seen the worst of the worst but I have to say even I cannot believe the incredible disconnect these people have for the suffering of fellow beings of our world.....It not only breaks my heart but hurts my soul ! ! I am sharing this with my all my friends via facebook..The world needs to know so we can fight against this barbaric practice.
We animal rights activist do not go overboard when we fight for ALL sentient beings - they all have a right not to be exploited,tortures, or killed. No huiman has a right to take from an animal whatever they want - animals have an inherent right to life just like we do. If you think we're going overboard then you are not getting it and that is very sad.
Id rather suffer to death than ever use anything from any animal that has suffered like this. This story has completely broke my heart..These poor animals are suffering both physically and mentally..I hope these people that do this rot in hell, I honestly do..
I to am an animal activist and agree with Cheyenne that we have to do what is right for the animals,this story made me cry and I am ashamed to call myself human because what human beings are capable of doing,though I am an activist I do not do violoence I write or donate to help free creatures man or woman has no right to torture animals for there stupid beliefs,I agree with another person that the tables should be turned on these people and let them see how they would like years of abuse in a cage with no life,I dont care how much money bear bile brings in for the worker doing these vile things,if I needed a job to support my family I would never never do a vile job against animal or human just to get money,I would work doing anything else except.Even though some of these people might be poor there is no excuse for torturing anything,I thought animals were suppose to be below human intelligence,some how I think humans are below intelligence except for the ones who would do anything to save them,I love every little creature in the sea and on land and will try to make a better world for them while I am still here.
i hate bears anyways
This is just another way that humans have decided that animals shouldn't have a life. For some reason we feel that they were put here for us to use for whatever reasons we might deem useful. But to use bear bile for anything goes far beyond my imagine nation? What in the world is wrong with people. Especially the people in China. They are some of the cruelest people when it comes to animal abuse. But all forms of abuse are seen in every country! This is the degrading part, that we are supposed to be intelligent and with that comes compassion for others. What a joke.
There isn’t one creature that was put on this earth that we were supposed to use for anything. They have their rights. They were given those rights not by man but by God. And it is inhumane and down right evil that we take them away. We should be ASHAMED OF OURSELVES! But we aren’t, and that is scary!
We should be better than this...DO THE RIGHT THING! with the bears and all of God’s creatures!
I don't have the words to explain the pain my heart... my soul felt when reading your article this morning.
These bears have such a high level of intelligence to understand, contemplate and commit suicide and mercy killing of their own babies based on the ability to see what will happen in the future if they do not take their own life. This kind of foresight and emotional reaction to pain and suffering has to count for something.
Just a word of encouragement to all that have commented on this story... LET'S MAKE THIS ARTICLE GO VIRAL ON THE INTERNET! People NEED to know what's happening in these countries and what these incredible, intelligent, emotional, strong and cultured creatures are being forced to endure. Please share this with everyone you know.
if i was there and i'd of had a gun i would of shot all in volved
all i have to say is i hope that these people who do this rot in hell and get double back what they did, this is so so sad. animals do not deserve this.
I am in tears, this vile industry must end, no amount of money in the world justifies these terrible cruelty to these poor bears. Any cruelty to any animal or people should be exposed. Shame on those people, I wish to those bear farmers that they will always be tormented by what they do to these inocent bears, and that those people will feel a greater amount of pain and sorrow in body, mind and soul. We must expose these disguisting industry. Hats off to Jill Robinson and Animals Asia for their amazing work rescuing these beautiful bears.
I saw this when i was ready to eat breakfast before work... NEEDLESS to say i did not eat...I absolutely ADORE, RESPECT, and LOVE bears...I agree,, they should take that pipe and shove into the person who is hurting GOD's beautiful creatures... I am OUTRAGED, and IRATE about this.. it makes me SICK!! this HAS TO END!!!
Disturbingly every day I'm reminded that the devil walks among us. Cruel and pathetic. I pray that this harvesting of bear bile ends
What sort of race are we that does this to our fellow creatures. I cried when I saw this. Just like what Japan is still doing to the dolphins too. Its terrible and it needs to be stopped NOW.
I hate the chinese. While there is soo much exceptional cruelty to animals, I believe the chinese people top the list!! Even the ones who are not directly involved, while they do not do everything in their power to stop this, I clasify them as accomplices!!!!!!!!!!!! This is horrific and don't know how these savages can live with themselves!!
I have no words..my heart is breaking..:(
How can a person be part of the human race to allow this. I cannot think they could live with themselves. I have a solution to this madness and it is a sure way to stop this inhumane acts. Boycott these countries, when the U.S. cuts their import-export down to the point it hurts their economy they will be glad to stop.
No animal activism is to much, in fact, there are to little of it in this world.
To know that there are bear farms out there and to se the tremendous suffering of
these bears is just so disgusting, outrageous and awful.
How is it that human beings, ( I have t raveled around the world) are born with no compassion at all for other beings is incomprehensible. These people should not be aloud to be alive at all. These practices should be punished by the death penalty. Why is it aloud to treat animals in this way and not a crime. We are in 20111 and there are so many cases around the world, including countries like the US and europe who practice barbarian acts against animals. We call ourselves advanced human beings and focus on technology when in fact, we are the most stupid and ignorant race on this planet.
Katja, i agree.
There is little animal activism, we need more.
This is outrageous! It's heart breaking!! It's absolutely disgusting!!!
Things like this, make me ashamed to be part of the human race. The world would be a much better place without them.
And i agree about the death penalty, and it should be slow, and painful...
Come on people, open your eyes and see that all of the animal cruelty in the world, such as using animals for testing, for entertainment, for food, for furniture etc, IS WRONG!!!
Animals are not ours to abuse, they are not ours to use, and are not our to torture. They are living things! They have feelings, and feel pain! For God sake people WAKE UP AND SEE THE TRUTH!!!
Animals are not our to do with what we please. No one made us 'rulers of the world', we have no right to do what we do.
Bless your heart momma bear, you are in a much better place now, as is your beloved baby. It would of took sheer determination and whole lot of love, to be able to do what you did. Your a great mother, and saved your baby from years of pain and suffering, I respect you momma bear, a hell of a lot. You are in our hearts
THIS MUST STOP NOW, BUT HOW?
ACTIVISTS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES ARE HELPING BUT PEOPLE IN COUNTRIES WHERE IS THIS HAPPENING SHOULD BE MORE EDUCATED FOR THIS PROBLEM MAYBE SOME ADVERTISING WITH EXAMPLES LIKE THIS TO BE SEEN ON TV.
TRULY I FILL BAD ALL DAY WHEN I SAW THIS AND I BREVE TO GOD THIS UGLINESS TO STOOP NOW.
I'm very upset ((( Cant belive in it.. It all goes on in our time!Only a law providing penalties for harsh treatment of animals can change the situation. Deprivation of liberty in the colony during several years.. In our country the relevant laws have been taken already. Although such fiends deserve the worst ,Shame!
EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION.
LAWS LAWS LAWS.
HUMANS ARE ANIMALS TOO, one day somebody might treat our species like we treat other Earthlings.
Planet Earth is thrown out of balance and angry, especially about the suffering of the other species tortured, used, abused and murdered by human virus.
Planet Earth will restore the balance with floods, fire, ash, earthquakes....Everything on this planet is a part of a cycle, and humans are truly building bad karma...
China (and India) must stop these and other animal torture practices now or the global human community will pay soon.
"Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money."
"I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being." -Abraham Lincoln
We are all connected and when they go, we go too.
I want to kill EVERY SINGLE ONE Of these 'farmer's aka MONSTERs with my bare hands... I want to torture them for years, never ending pain & suffering.... a taste of their own 'hell'. I'm so angry right now I can barely keep from slamming the monitor in front of me...
very very disturbing and heart breaking :(( I hope all of them who inflict cruelty on these mute beings get back in return a million times more. Wish these people can be caught and the poor bears released. God, this is so terrible :(( May God somehow save these poor beings
Go vegan. Cows, chickens, sheep, fish, etc. do not matter any less than bears. Animal exploitation is unnecessary and always wrong.
Also, notice the difference between "this is how we earn a living" and "this is how we HAVE to earn a living"? In the first case, the worker does have a choice, the choice to go work somewhere else. What a hypocrite, covering his immoral attitudes by lying to himself.
As horrible as this practice is and as much as it needs to be stopped, we need to keep in mind that right in our own backyard, so to speak, in North America and Europe, anyone who eats factory-farmed meat is complicit in similar evil. We have so neatly wrapped up and packaged our torture that most well-meaning, intelligent, otherwise compassionate people are unaware of the daily tortures for which they are responsible. But the torture of animals by people in an 'exotic' land, people of another culture, that they find horrifying.
I often detect a sense of cultural superiority (racism is perhaps a bit strong a word) in stories like these, especially when told by mainstream news. If the teller is aware of the cruelty inherent in her/his own culture's food systems and abstains as much as possible from participating in that cruelty, then that person has the right to be outraged and speak out about this sort of practice. What disturbs me is the people in North America who are utterly unaware (or worse, aware but continuing regardless) of the cruelty they support every day by eating meat who then act all outraged at the cruel practices of another culture and people.
I'm not saying you, Ingenira, are behaving this way, but am just remarking on an all-too-prevalent theme in the West -- horror of the cruel practices of the Other and ignorance or a blind eye to that of their own.
Horrific practice!!!
I find it so amazing that we have humans capable of this in 2011! People like this should be tortured in the same way they torture the animals AND I would love to help do it!!!!!!
HOW CRUEL and DISTURBING!! And the human race is "suppose to be" the smarter of the two??? WOW!!
other than bear farming which is cruel, i realise that due to the internet, alot of sickos is doing cruelty videos to show to people. here is one http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=22986112.../video/video.php?v=229861123703002#!/video/?of=100000373494768
Absolutely appalling!! Have these people no sense of empathy or mercy?? No respect. There is no excuse for paticipating in such cruelty!! Shame on them & the country that allows it!!
Well where do I start? I read this yesterday but was so overcome with horror and grief that I was unable to compose myself enough to post a comment.
***WHAT ARE WE DOING??***...
Have some of the human race evolved without a conscience,do they not recognise right from wrong???....These people are certainly not displaying any sign of being a civilised human being....because to be civilised means being humane(showing evidence of moral and intellectual advancement and concern with the * ALLEVIATION** of suffering)
So have some of us evolved to be sub human?
It can be the only answer for allowing these heinous acts of cruelty to these most beautiful creatures!!!
THIS IS THE 21st CENTURY CHINA!!!!...WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU???....You should no longer be living in the Dark Ages!!!!
What is the Chinese Government thinking to be allowing this BARBARIC CRUELTY beyond comprehension to still happen in this day and age??
YOU SHOULD ALL BE HANGING YOUR HEADS IN SHAME CHINA!!!!
How DARE you treat a living, feeling beautiful animal so shockingly!!!
Step up and right this terrible wrong, you have made me feel ashamed to be a part of the human race!!!
People of the world must unite, post this story everywhere you can to bring awareness to these ABSOLUTELY PURE EVIL acts of cruelty!!!! I implore you all...
For the sake of the bears WE MUST STOP THIS!!!!!?
Thank you Ingenira for bringing this to our attention, I had NO idea it was still happening.:(
.
is there a petition?? or letters to write?? ive never heard about this before now, and my stomach is in knots!!! please if anyone can give me anymore information as to how to fight this dont hesitate to email me , dostanaljusic@gmail.com
Animals have been around for at least half of the life of the Earth.. Human have been around for a short time.. We have a long way to go before we become advanced species and can tolerate other species..But will we survive to that point or kill ourselves out of greed? Will we recognize danger before is too late?..... For every animal or tree that we brutally kill for every nature resource we waste a knife getting closer to our throat...But we the advanced creature try to destroy Planet earth by killing all the Animals and Forest and polluting the atmosphere as fast as we can because "HUMAN" think planet Earth only belong to him no other creature.But are we survive with no plant or animal and no air to breath?
People who can't feel pain of others , have the big intellectual problems, they are mentally retarded. Who need in the mentally retarded one like HANNIBAL? Does someone know the Chinese laws? Whether they provide punishment for cruel treatment of animals?
Do they have the inspector's supervision for private farms? Or nobody don't look after their work ? By the way , the products from animals that are under stress are harmful to health and can only hurt, not benefit. This has been proved.
what measures has the government of China undertaken in connection with this event?
Despite knowing all about this practice (been involved in animal rights for over 25 years) it still never ceases to amaze me what cruelties people will subject animals to in the name of science, medicine, food or entertainment. I'm truly sickened by the human race & our greed & selfishness.
Whether you agree with animal rights or not, some things are just too vile for any sane person to agree with.
And yes, it is entirely possible that the mother bear tried to take her own life - there have been numerous documented incidents of animals trying to end their lives by repeatedly banging their heads against walls etc. And whw could blame them when faced with a life of torment, misery & pain :-(
What does the government of China do for struggle against cruel treatment with animals? If I lived in China I would voluntarily go in for the check of all suspicious farms. Who with me?
OMG this is inhumane!! I'm with you Ulya, more regulation should be put in place for this blasphemy! Some people don't understand that there are more important things in the world than money.
What a great awareness article! I certainly have been personally sickened by the cruelty these animals are enduring. In addition, I find my own self crying out and weeping as I type this. Thank you for sharing this with all of us!!!
sproutdl, you're not alone I was crying after reading it too. It's now our job to spread the awareness so that other people might know such atrocities exist.
This is a sick and disturbing practice. I almost wish that I did not read this article but I am appreciative that you are spreading awareness about this. If not for this hub I would have not known that these heinous acts were being carried out. Sick to my stomach.
This is outrageous. They MUST Infiltrate the farms, put ane END to the farmers' AND officials pathetic lives. If there is no time to rescue the bears, put an end to their lives too. Completely destroy ALL the bear farms in china. This can be, must be done with special operations forces such as Delta force and the SEALS, or special forces from Europe etc. Since they have no regard for animal welfare and well being, forget about regard for their human well being. Bring this matter up to the international level and the Beijing government and the World Courts too!
ANIMAL FIGHTER
I would go the volunteer!
This is most disheartening. I remembered seeing a video once on Bear bile farming.
This is too much. Should put a stop to all this. Very heartbreaking to read about the bear kill it cub and commit suicide.
This is so sad, my heart goes out to those poor bears that are made to suffer due to peoples ignorance.
Sadly, the government of China supports (although not openly) the practices of abuse of animals by the civilians because it brings money in to the country. There are many tourists who go all the way to China to get things such as fur - skinning of tigers alive for their skin. Bear bile is also something they get a high profit from.
I am a Chinese, and I do not stand for abuse of any animals. Not all Chinese people tolerate abuse, Virginia Greenwood-Warner. I am an animal love, and I have sent in countless petitions to organizations on animal abuse, as well as donated to many organizations that help rescue animals like the moon bears. Do not stereotype anyone based on a group of brainless people.
While the government will not enter the laws forbidding cruel measures and punishing for their default, it never will come to an end, there will be no end of these terrible things . In civilized countries such laws are. And poaching is punished severely.
First of all I would like to thank Ingenira for translating this article. It's about time more people know about all the wrong doings other human being are conducting around the world, and their corrupt government that supports these inhuman acts.
This article broke my heart and reading the comments and knowing so many people care about this makes me believe that the humanity still has hope.
Now, I would like to speak to one commenter directly:
VIRGINIA GREENWOOD WARNER, You claim that you hate all Chinese people because apparently all Chinese people to you are cruel to animals. This statement you made just told me you are a ill-educated and assuming, ignorant and arrogant individual. There are a lot of Chinese out there (not from China) that are animal lovers like myself. I love animals and I do whatever I can to protect them and educate people about animal cruelty.
According to you, as long as we are Chinese and we don't do anything about it we are labeled as accomplices as well. Let me give you an example.Have you ever eaten Foie Gras? I'm sure you have. And how is foie gras obtained? By force feeding ducks till their liver enlarges beyond their normal size, then they kill the ducks, so that YOU can eat foie gras.
I don't eat foie gras, I don't eat bear paws, I am a vegetarian, I am a Chinese, I do not support cruelty of any kind and I love animals.
And I know tons of Chinese out there who are just like me.
Don't you ever try to generalize and shame our race again with your ignorant supremacist mentality, all due to your own lack of education, knowledge, and blatant arrogance.
I might be skeptical upon reading your article; Pardon me for I did not really come into contact with animals much apart from domestic pets, hence the ignorance, but initially I do feel that the description are somehow fairy tale like. I mean I believe animals are capable of emotions, but hardly has such a scene be seen or captured hence the disbelief. However, what I want to say is I believe that in China these things DO exist. Not just China, but all around the world. Such acts are cruel beyond any wildest imagination. To think that they profit from others pain and misfortunte, not that its an uncommon act. Moreover, such cruelty are beyond imagination, to an extend that I would say beyond humanity. As such, despite whatever hardships or excuse they might provide, I believe the only punishment deemed reasonable is execution. Think about it, torturing a defenseless animal for your gain, making them suffer for years under some outrageous condition, is it pardonable? And if you have really witness such an unfortunate incident (sorry I'm still a tad skeptical), I salute your courage for writing this out, and informing the world. Your action, and motive, are a noble one. Thank you :).
And Virgnia-Greenwood Warners, I believe your comment not only does not reflect the points your so desperately trying to make, but it also makes you seem uneducated, or even retarded. If accomplishes are those who did not stop, then I believe you are one as well. Tell me, which country's populace does not have even one cruel resident who simply practices cruelty on animals for the sake of it? None. Moreover, I would like to clarify that people don't stop it is because they DON'T know about it. Look at it this way, if they do, wouldn't they be cracked down fast enough? That's why they are all so secretive about it. Let me quote a simple example for your simple mind- what terroist do is evil, but why don't you stop it or even destroy them at one go? Because its secretive. That's why those evil/wrongdoers are able to survive thus long. So the point I'm trying to make is you shouldn't hate something because of several black sheeps. That only makes you seem retarded, and naïve to say the least.
I'm ashamed to be human.
I've never been this shocked and heartbroken before... My heart is torn and my eyes are literally tearing up. I always knew such a thing is being done to bears, but I had no idea to what extent!! Reading the entire page, I am truly dumbfounded by the cruelty and evil which exist in these so-called "humans" (More like monsters if you ask me!!)
To actually torture a living and breathing creature to the point that it attempts to commit suicide is bad, no, HORRIBLE enough as it is, but to PREVENT it from killing itself so that it can continue to suffer, well that's just... Just... There's just no word that can describe the degree of cold black heartedness the act represents!!
At times like this, I am ashamed to be of the same species as the evil individuals described in the stories. And I'm even more devastated of how helpless I am to stop any of this... I guess all I can do now is pray, and hope that those who are capable to save these bears succeed in their task.
As for those who committed such a foul deed, I curse they burn and rot in the deepest pits of hell for the rest of eternity... >.>
this activity is repulsive. im ashamed to be chinese.
All this people , what ever they have done, they will get what they deserve the moment their last breath leave their bodies. They may be happy now killing and torturing helpless animals but true justice will be done after. I wish them no luck
It is necessary to do really something with it. You will rescue one bear , but tens of them will suffer all the same ... I can not think of it. It is very heavy ...
I am utterly disgusted by this form of cruelty, and I really hope that all of us do our part and spread this article around to inform people of what's happening.
Is there anyway I can volunteer myself to such activity ? I would really love to lend a helping hand to go on such trips and stop such act . Like going to a bear bile farm (hopefully none by now) and rescue the bears or looking after the bear after being rescued .
Audrey, you can join Jill Robinson in Animal Asia in her rescue work. See this link :
Let's donate to the cause. Every dollar helps.
Why people just have to repond to such articles in a immature manner like I hate Chinese, I'm ashame of myself for being a human/Chinese. Please be more productive in your comments.
Ingenira, thanks a lot for sharing this information. I'll like to join Jill Robinson in her rescue work.
People sit behind the computer screen and typing all these comments, yet they are doing nothing about it. After a day, a week, a month, it will soon be forgotten. And bears will continue to suffer under the humans' torture. One thing you could do best, is to donate and save a life.
these people are awfull they torture other living things
these people should die
I am an animal lover. I may fear the wild ones, more so because I'm not exposed to them, but I understand that even the wild ones fear humans more. No excuse is ever valid to torturing and taking another life, be it human or animal. I've heard of bile extraction in bears but never thought of how harsh it actually is till I read this article. My heart bleeds for the poor animals, and my tears aren't enough to soothe their pain. I hope these people practising these horrendous acts will one day get their just desserts. You must not have a heart if you can commit this horrible act on another living thing.
I will never understand how a human can be so selfish, so cruel. My heart is so heavy. A bear is more than just an animal. It is also a symbol of courage, wisdom, toughness, ferocity, strength, and the protection of a mother. How dreadful, how terrible is this suffering.
so sad that this thing is still happening. as an animal lover, i cant bear animal torture at all. it breaks my heart. although they cant talk, we humans know that they can still feel pain like we do. it is so disgraceful for humans to act like this to animals. some say that animals dont have feelings, here shows that they really do have feelings. it's just that we dont know it.
I cried so much reading this hub. I cannot believe how people do things like this that aren't even necessary. They are worse than any animal. Very inhumane. Thank you for sharing this with the world. I do hope it reaches enough people.
Oh my it is terribly heartaching.. Um stil cryin.. Dey r so inhumane n mae dey get retributions in dis lyf. I hope the rescuers wil help to put a stop to dis.. I wishd I culd do sumtin here.
Why didn't you stop them or do anything? When they were about to torture the baby cub?
That's the worst thing in humanity to just ignore. I'm utterly Disgusted By Your actions
Mostly people doing this is for money.....the only way for them to gain rich is one of this method which is gruesome btw. This problem will only be solved if only we tackle the source itself. There is no point stopping them as they will keep surfacing again and again. Only when the source is taken care of, stopping them will gain effective. If average job income is satisfying and the cost of living is low, this practice at the very most lessen or be gone forever.
Thanks a million of millions of times for rescuing the Bears. Even the Poor animal can think but the Barbarian Human Beings got really no brains.
I feel so sad after reading this. How heavy is the heart of the mother bear when she kills her own baby. Please put a stop to all this cruelty!
give me a gun and some chinese herbal remedy c**ts. I'm normally a pacifist but I would shoot any number of this type with a huge smile on my face
What a heart breaking story, I really feel sorry for the mother bear... china is very bad
Dear All,
while we all get upset and disturbed by the report, please bare in mind we are against the act, the cruelty the suffering, the pain, and NOT a race in entity. Hatred breeds more negative energy. Remember the first hand story above was actually from a Chinese, surely you can sense some pain from his/her encounter. He may not had been a hero to rescue them all on the spot, do many of us (I mean come on, do you buy pets, eat commericially bred meat, order too much ever and wasted that meat which belonged to an animal before?) Remember, let's stop the cruelty constructively. Spread the word that Bear Bile ain't miraculous cure, instead of hatred towards a race. Spread goodness, stop suffering people.
sharing on facebook is allowed right? if so, we should use facebook sharing as our tool to spread this message!
q, yes, you can easily share by browsing up, all the way to the top, and click on "f like" button. thank you and everyone here for sharing on facebook and twitter.
my god, my god.
I'm speechless, so upset...this is so horribly cruel.
This is so sick! I hope those who did these cruel acts will get their punishment someday!
i really don't know what to say....am so speechless, my eyes are wet, my heart breaks. I can feel and sense the pain agony they are going thru. Killing her own child in order to shorten and stop the pain and to punish herself by suicide....
Cruelty is an understatement for these b*****d. Torturing someone to extract medicine for sore eyes and fever? Where is your logic? I hate chinese from China. I'm Chinese from a different country, and we hate Chinese from China. They are being discriminated from my country and truely deserve it! Be it educated or illiterate, they will do anything, even it is against humanity, just to meet their monetary gains.
Hi everyone! Simply sign the appeal to end this cruelty!
what they've done is disturbingly disgusting.
this has to be ended in the name of humanity and for the sake of those bears.
i am a chinese, but it never occur to me to use part of such a beautiful animal as a medicine.
you can use HERBS, FGS! NOT ANIMAL!!! :'(
oh, please sign this petition:
This is extremely heartbreaking. Do they really think that it's possible to heal themselves by torturing these bears? I see no sense in that. This kind of activity should be stopped. After reading about the sacrifice that mother bear made, I can't believe that humans are still considered to be above animals.
i saw this and i nearly burst into tears. there are even farms in china that skin animals alive!
Even through we are all depressed, heartbroken and such, let's DO SOMETHING rather than all of us just commenting here, being emo and such. If anyone has the mightiest power of all, do just burn down/destroy those farms, or donate or sign the petition to save those poor bears.
I have signed the petition and will spread this news.
I am DISGUSTED by the Chinese and their cruel treatment of animals. I will NEVER buy another item made in China and I will never forget these horrible things they do to living beings.
I agree the only way to put an end to something is not gonna be to sit and comment and wonder what we can do. Another person states even if one bear is saved ten more suffer but at least you made a life of difference to that one and its one less suffering. My big passion is saving animals when and where I can, I only promote adoption of animals and have saved thirteen dogs in the past year including my own rescued boy Orbit from an abusive home. If you want to make a difference in the world and change something you have to start immediately, wondering what you can do sitting behimd a computer wont get anyone anywhere.
omg this is so sad...is there anything we can do to help? :(
we have to change it if wanna save them now! stop buying this TCM bear bile product and they will stop tortute bears...we can see the diffrence!
Thank you for posting this article, this made me cry. I know animal cruelty has been around for a long time already. The traditional practices can really be disgusting and inhuman. If there is no need and demand for the supply, I know bear bile farming will end. I just hope it will end soon before these beautiful moon bears are endangered.
I was so regret and repand for bought bear bile. I still remember, during that time I went to China, and the tourist guide brought me to a Tranditional Chinese Medicine factory and I was convinced by a doctor (provide by factory)(after consultation) to use bear bile (in powder) to clean my blood. I was so fear that the doctor will did some thing bad to me if I don't bought the product that he suggest. This is a very good lesson to me that do not simple let a Chinese Tranditional Doctor consult me If I am alone or in a alien place. Hope you guy can join me as a vegetarian to help the animals not just the bear and remember if we love the animals we need leave them far away. The trouble only happen when we are too close to them.
saying that it is just for a living, who the hell are these people to make this heinous crimes. this is just an excuse. they should be punished 100x with what theyre doing. hope this ends. i think for them this is the easiest way to earn money.
I signed the petitiona and share it among my FB friends. Everyone do sign the petition as well. I am chinese heard about chinese eating bear and making medicine but did not know they doing such thing as farming and so much torturing to get the products. I have never tried the medicine nor ate any bear yet I felt so disgusted to be chinese. Hope more people will bring this to light and free the bears from further torture.
The people who are doing this need to have this done to them. This is one of the most horrifying things I have ever read about... people truly sicken me far too often.
I don't even know what to say :( it's been 3 days since I read the article and I am still so emotionally effected.. I hope we all work together to stop this
I never new this practice was done!!! This is so sad, all of God's creatures have feelins. It truly sickens me that something like this is allowed to go on in the world today!!!!!!
Such a sad story! I wished I haven't come across this because it will haunt me forever. But having said that I thank the author for posting such a mind opening , heart wrenching story about these innocent animals and their sufferings. I felt like I am going to pass out when I read about the way they extract bile from these living breathing beings. I wish people who read this story will do something, anything to stop this cruel practice.
Those people are not human. Is very heart breaking and sad. I cannot control my tears as i continue reading the above story. Its disgusting, those people who done cruety to those bears should go to hell. Long live the bears and hope they all can be rescure. In my part i'll forward to as many of my friends as i can.
This people are not even fit to be called HUMANS!!They deserve a cruel death!! Hatss off to the rescue team! Please rescue this lovely bears asap! You have all our support!I will do my part to spread the msg!
My heart aches for those poor bears. And this story just broke my heart. How can these people not see what they are doing?? I just dont understand how someone can cause an animal to suffer like that.
if I had won lots of money I would help all those animals who suffer and who are treated unfairly.
Thank you for there are people like you who did something about it ...
if the animals could talk they had loved you and understand that there are people who are there for them and want to help them from their evil.
Thank you shared with your story
People can be so cruel! Thank you for this sad but very important post. I wish there was a petition to sign for this. I would sign it in a heart beat!
I see a lot of HYPOCRITES commenting. Do you guys seriously think the chickens, cows, or whatever animal you ate had a happy life? They ALL suffers like these bears. You want to argue that these poutry animals are killed swiftly and feel no pain? Really? No pain at all?
Why don't these countries come into the twentyfirst century for God's sake. I can't stand reading about this stuff. If I was the person who actually witnessed this I would probably be in prison somewhere for trying to kill the people doing it.
Why u people talk only do something like donate your time or money for the cause,people always talk only but no action.
Great post..Thanks
How to help these unfortunate, poor animals? How to relieve them of these monsters? It is not people, it is brainless creatures, killers which must sit in the same narrow cages!
this is really a wonderful hub.
I have signed this petition http://www.endbearfarming.org/en/..But how can this help this problem? It really need drastic measures...!
This was a very difficult hub to read - I now have tears in my eyes. I had never heard of this procedure before. Thank you so much for bringing this important topic to the world's attention. I hope pressure will be brought to bear (excuse the pun!) to stop this horrific cruelty.
Does someone know what organization struggles with this problem now? Through what web site does it carry out public communication ? I want to know what is being done with it all and how everyone can help it.
Ulya, Animal Asia has been working hard to rescue bear from bear bile farms for years. You can support and follow their activities from this website :
Until today I was unaware of bile farming for bears. As I read this article like many others my heart was broken. These poor animals that are being tortured is unacceptable. Thank you for this hub for making others aware of this. I think that is a healthy step in the right direction to get people to be aware and hopefully help these poor animals.
Dear all,
Condemning China for what they are doing is wrong. Why sink to such level and condemn a race for the minority of brainless people (if you can call them that)? The purpose of this video is to raise awareness so we can actually go out and DO something about this. So why waste your time and effort typing something offensive when you can spend less time and effort to click 'copy' and 'paste' to spread the news? For all you know, your efforts might actually lead someone to actually save a bear?
And also to Virginia Greenwood-Warner.
I would like to thank you for being such and ignorant person. Thank you for showing that this world still consists of ignorant, arrogant and narrow minded fuckheads like you. Your lack of maturity clearly shows that you are no different from those who hold these bears captive. Your lack of common sense and proper judgement is insulting to humanity. "But why?", you ask. Simply because you choose to refuse to educate yourself about your surroundings.
As A. said,
"Don't you ever try to generalize and shame our race again with your ignorant supremacist mentality, all due to your own lack of education, knowledge, and blatant arrogance"
This Story truly is Heart Breaking. :*( I can't even explain how i felt reading this. this is pure craziness. WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE THAT LIVE?! TORTURING ANIMALS?!?!?!?! THIS IS COMPLETELY OUT OF THE WORLD! :*[ as humans, we really really need to raise more awareness. thank you for the article..
No excuse for this and really angers me. Bear bile is about as useful as Drano is for a sore throat.
The govts dont care about these poor animals - all govts know what is going on in other countries but never get involved. I wish I could help Jill and other animal activists in person but if I can be one person telling ten others then one day I hope and pray that being human means caring not killing other living beings.
Any products received from the sick animal having a stress and deprivation cannot be useful for health! Only harm! Those who torment animals, harm to people who use their products
Its so sad how humans can resort to such inhumane practices just to satisfy their beliefs. This is such a sick act that must be condemned, what is the world coming to? I cried so much at this article, I really feel for the bears - this really angers me and I'm saddened at the fact that so little effort is being made to spread the issue and help it. The people torturing the bears, don't they feel anything at all, to make them suffer this fate for 20 years? Those people should burn in hell.
several anti-bear bile petitions:
there is no word to describe this, or ANY treatment of non humans... benjamin b said while he doesn't agree with most animal rights activists...what a ridiculous statement. because of animal rights activists atrocities like this are made public knowledge. thank you for writing the article. maybe next you could write about what western countries do to pigs, cows, chickens, etc.....
I was unaware of this horrible practice until some friend shared the story of the mother bear-cub with me...As an animal lover, finding out about more and more stories and methods of cruelty towards animals, makes me very depressed and ashamed of being part of the human race. The imaginary cries of those bears are still haunting me. My only hope is that if there is a life after this one, things will be much fair for everyone.
I want to put all animals away off human beings on another planet to save them!
Very sad. There is nothing like a mothers love for their child.
I am really ashamed to be Chinese .. What rights do we have to render such pains to another living thing
Damn, society is so fcked up.
I understand that they need to make a living but, cant they find a job that's more acceptable? I hope all of those farmers would suffer like what they made those bears go through.
this is sickening. i get the feeling people like this who accept and do these types of jobs dont do it just for the money...they actually get a kick out of torturing helpless creatures. the same with japans dolphin killings...if they must hunt and kill dolphins, surely they could do it in a humane way, but they choose to make it as slow and painful a death as they can. and the fur farms, they way they knock the animal out and begin stripping its furs while it is still alive, if it comes to and squirms and cries and tries to bite them they laugh. these people arent human...they are monsters. thank you very much for writing this hub. i didnt know about the bears. just when i think i have seen it all, something like this shows me there is no end to it. i shared it to both FB and twitter.
Abominável,indigno, cruel, covarde! Fiquei em chouqe de ver esta reportagem! O que o Bicho Homem está fazendo com os animais, também criaturas de Deus! Quanta crueldade covarde e desnecessária com os indefesos animais que deveriam estar sendo respeitados e cuidados pelo Homem...esquecem-se das Leis do Retorno, do Cosmo e Divinas, aonde aquí se faz, aquí se paga e colhemos o que plantamos!
Pryia, you said exactly what I had in mind. To kill your own baby and commit suicide for escaping a life of misery and torture proves intelligence and foresight, things that human beings thought are their own. Well, no! Seams like other animals, even if they are not technology dependent, have these qualities. And we don't have any right above these creatures. When I read about the cub, crying for help and mercy, the mother bear breaking free from her own cage, licking her baby's tears, to make her feel loved and cared for, trying to break the chain and after that, failing to do so, strangling her own baby with her hands to free her from any pain and suffering that the "human beings" were going to inflict to her for years and years... and after that smashing her own head against the wall to finally find peace.... I felt like dying myself, not in the moment they passed away, but before when the terrified mother bear was trying to free her cub. I felt the terror, the disappointment, the pain, the loss... This should make those vile workers free all the bears and find another decent way of earning money!!! I'm very empathic, so I can experiment all animals or humans feel, by putting myself in their position. It's very hard to live like that, but I wish everybody could do this. If so, no human being would treat bad, torture or kill any other living sentient being...
The hate that I have for people that do this could never be put in to words. They should die, the same exact way these bears are. Going through excruciating pain and suffering for years. They should know how it feels. Bears and animals all over the world are tortured day by day, and it is the most horrifying thing to watch. I wish all the people who are torturing these animals to hell.
ps. stop all this cruelty against all this innocent souls
Cruelty to these animals is just so intolerable, I will support Jill forever
Made me cry...ive still got tears running down my face. To think that humans could really do this to another living being and think it's justified because they need a job? yeah? well those bears need to live!
Vietnam’s top traditional medicine doctor, Doctor Nguyen Xuan Huong, and his equally eminent Chinese counterpart, Professor Liu Zhengcai, have both warned consumers against the bear bile intake, and cited recent medical cases where consumers are suffering from liver and kidney damage.
Read more of the story here :
bloody assholes i just cant read the whole thing i dont believe people can do this they should die as fast as they can we should kill those monsters in human jackets or we can just do the same with them as they did with bears man this is terrified these people should be hanged with the rods and we should treat them in a same way and take their bile juice till they die man if i ever got those fucksters ill just kick their ass as hard as i can so all their bile will come from there only!!!
If we can feel sad for bears, have you wondered that people kill cows? Chickens? Pigs etc? and we're not sad? See thats the problem. As bears, crocodiles , dolphins are not the usual food that we eat.We feel sorry for them?
Before you comment on me hating animals and should be shot with a bullet or more, this is true okay, if you are into seafood, then why do you not want to eat dolphins? The reason why is not because you find them innocent, and because that is not a daily food. Cows are bred as there is a demand for milk, chickens for eggs and meat, pigs for meat. If we want to stop this people, don't think you can just stop this activities just by killing the 'farmers' but you must find the source of the problem, to completely annihilate all traces of this. If we spread the word about this stuff, people will stop buying no?
Take some singaporeans for example(as i am one)we like to eat shark fins for wedding dinners. Thats why many sharks are caught, have their fins cut off and thrown back in the ocean. If we stop the people that want shark's fin, then the people that sell shark's fin will have nobody to sell to. So they might stop the selling of stuff. And shark's fin tastes like nothing(dont go to try it). It's just there to make it look 'nice and expensive' . And i hate it(as the soup tastes nice even without the fin), even if my family loves them.
And even if you torture them, and kick their ass so hard that their bile comes out from their asses,(which is how our bile exits normally) this is not the answer to solve the problem.
Most of the time, humans learn only when we lose. So, must we lose the bears and let them die out then we will learn the suffering of this animals? Like how we discovered the tasmanian tiger was innocent only after they were all gone? If there was a time machine, i would go back in time to stop the extinction of tasmanian tigers, but nope we dont have any. So i want to hold on to the belief that the lies of this 'sacred healing' recipe will come to an end.
It is possible to live, without killing animals for meat and clothes and other needs. Eggs, milk, cheese, a string bean, beans, groats, artificial warm fur coats. Is it not enough for living?
completely agree with "Shameful Chinese".
I'm ashamed to be associated with the mainlanders for this very reason. Their lack of humanity astounds even the most HARDENED of hearts.
I think these people should ALL DIE!!! This is sick, these poor bear
Such a tragic but beautiful story. I really enjoyed that read.
This hub brought tears to my eyes and anger in the heart. To you I give kudjos for writing about such a heart wrenching practice, it was hard to read, must have been even harder to research and write. It wasn't the killing that got me, but the torture these animals endured.
My heart aches for these bears. I cannot understand how these humans can be so inhumane...
Why do this, God didnt put animals on the Earth to be killed or abused, im a child and I have been trying to stop this stuff since 2007 and its 2011 and its still not over, and as I type this comment right now a animal is either being abused or killed I just know it, beautiful story, and thank you for sharing this heart crushing story this brings tears to my eyes. You should also read mine about animal cruelty.
-Wolf lover14 has been trying to stop animal cruelty since 2007
This is so sad.. I find it hard to understand how humans can treat other living things in this way.. This article has touched me.
A huge well done to the Asian animal rights group who are helping these bears. keep up the good work and good luck in the future, lets hope this bile farming is banned.
There are no words for the way I'm feeling after seeing the videos & reading all of this. I"m in tears. I'm sickened. & all I can do is just sit here in a numb & spacey state. I'm just in shock. I don't know how people can be so damned cruel to animals.
OMG, humans are really inhuman... the story is really touching, I can't imagine how the mother bear felt during that time. Being tortured for like twenty two years, I think that if it would have been a day, I would have gone crazy.so sad i cant believe it, that the bears are being tortured like almost every hour.and the most sad part is that the mother sees that the bear is being taken away from her with out being able to help and the cub going into torture.
This is horrible but the abuse of animals is common, there are many bad people in this world. Do you drink tea? In India and nearby where they grow the tea plants, farmers are turning more and more land into farmland to satisfy the increasing demand for "Green Tea", and many different kinds that are popular. The bad part comes as the native elephants have less and less natural habitat to live in. They "raid" the farmland to find food to eat but are chased off, harassed, and sometimes killed for "raiding" the crops. When I become an established business owner, I vow to do my part in ending the various acts of cruelty. I was raised on a farm/ranch and I support the beef industry. I probably have a different view from most people here but that doesn't make me the enemy. I eat a lot of beef, chicken, and fish but I'm against cruelty. It's just not neccessary for the most part and some of the actions of farmers and ranchers may look cruel but remember that cattle and pigs have much thicker skin and they can be stubborn sometimes. My opinion is to give the animals that were raised for a specific purpose is to give them the courtesy of a quick death Before starting to harvest anything. I apologize if I have offended anybody but you shouldn't condemn me, I can be a valuable asset with my experience and inside knowledge.
This is crazy! I can't believe human have ability to do such thing while human should become the one who protecting nature because we blessed by heart and brain. Crazy! T^T
Thank you for this shocking article. I'll shared it with my friends at facebook.
A few days ago my car hit a pigeon by accident while driving early in the morning,there were so many pigeons on the road and i never realized one pigeon was crossing the road.I cannot sleep well for 2 days thinking of this incident.I just cannot imagine how people can do bile extraction for money.They are really inhumane at all to do such thing to creatures of the earth.
Thanks Inginera for making me realize how human should be grateful as a protector of nature and all the living things on earth.
Recently, I read in a local newspaper, on how the bear bile producer tried to twist the fact so as to get more people to buy the bear bile - mentioning how much the bear "enjoyed" the bear bile extraction process. It was really sickening to read it.
A well presented article that filled me in to what I thought I knew. A decade back bear hunting was put on the suspended list in California due to people shooting them and taking the gallbladder and leaving the rest of the animal. As a hunter I find that a low life action. Your article shows a whole different picture and covers it quite well. I was under false impression that a gallbladder brought 1200 US dollars, Your article shows it is the bile that is sought and breaks down to sell at 300 yaun per gram or 46 US dollars, a life time 2000 grams would be 92,000 US dollars. In my mind I just can't make the connection of 1200 for a single gallbladder vs the milking. Both extremely cruel as the poachers operated in all seasons, killing mothers leaving cubs to starve. The ban on legal hunters produced over population for habitat that man has left, and bears came to town for garbage cans to eat.
The ban was lifted and the state allowed the hunters to balance population and habitat. I have killed one bear while turkey hunting and only because the bear was bent on killing me. I have had run ins with bears and turned and ran as fast as a one legged man can to get out of the way and every time the bear did the same and we joked about it often around the camp fire when a buddy would see me trying to escape a fast moving bear going the other way. It was good humor and I never gave thought to a different outcome until I met and surprised a black bear as well as being surprised. Before I could turn to run it rared up on it's hind legs and did the big growl/roar showing fangs and took a swipe at me with a paw as big as my head and I jerked back and felt the wind. I raised a 10 gauge turkey shot gun with 3 shots in the tube and one in the barrel. I thought this is it, the shot gun won't stop a bear. He lunged and ran into the barrel and I don't know if I pulled the trigger or the push caused my finger to lose slack, but it went off and killed the bear with a full load and no time to spread, it hit the heart and he was a small 300 pound male and fell on me and I figured I was a goner, but he was dead weight and I was trying to get out from under him and get away from him in the event he was stunned. One of my buddies showed up and helped roll him far enough to get free. I had wet my pants and the barrel of the gun was swollen from the back pressure. So I've endured years of teasing over wetting my pants.
They are a powerful breed and it saddens me to hear and see what you have exposed. After notifying the game warden of shooting a bear out of season and in a no bear hunting zone the decision was made I could keep the bear after they saw the area and believed that we were not poaching bear. It furthered my attitude of not hunting bear because my rule is hunting for food only, and as hard as I tried I couldn't find a cut of 200 pounds of meat that was good. I ground it and canned it for dog food, nothing wasted. It is illegal to sell any parts, like teeth and claws, so I had the hide tanned and it hangs on a wall and his head is a scull mount showing the teeth with the claws in a circle around it showing the part they could shred you with. I'm not proud of it being there I just like letting those who see it know that there is no good that comes from killing an animal that hunts to survive as I do, but they like me only take what they can eat and humans are on their list, and I find that fair as we took way their habitat.
I would volunteer to go in to the facility(s) and free the survivable bears or do what I'd hope someone would do for me and end the misery of such a sad sad life.
Thank you for writing this,
Blessings,
50
50 Caliber, what a close encounter you had with the bear ! I enjoyed reading it. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
I am a first year university student studying Primary Teaching. I came across an article about bear bile and it brought tears to my eyes. I honestly reconsidered studying Education to have a career in stopping bear farming and animal cruelty.
Is there any possibility to get in contact with Jill Robinson about any information on maybe volunteering?
I cried as I read this article. It truely is horrible and so sad.
Back to the first sentence about university. I wrote that one sentence because next week we have to run a 35 minute lesson for six other students in my tutorial group. I am trying to work with all of the information I have (quite a lot!) and make that into a short lesson to spread the word. I was struggling with what to do for a lesson and found that bear farming would be a great topic. I feel very strongly about this and have watched and read so much into this. It not only gives me the opportunity to talk about something that I feel so strongly about, but it gives me the opportunity to spread the word and put a stop to this horrible practice!
Annisa
Annisa, you can contact Jill Robinson from her website Animal Asia :
(Look under "Contact Us")
or Jill's blog :
This is horrible. Certainly raised my pulse from anger.
Can we extract bile from those putting the animals thru this?
The mother bear won.
Your article is superb. I shed tears when I read the mother bear killed her cub and took her life. The bear has emotion just like human being. These poachers should be killed instantly by the bears. No justice at all. God will punish those poachers and bring the cub and mother bear to heaven.
This is just so sick! In China, animal or ecological lives are not given highly importance, in other words, life is not being valued here, totally. All kinds of animal here are can be eaten and a source of their income - from shark to peaceful turtle. They don't care at all! As I get to know more about animals, the more I love them than the behavior of people.
Very sad story. Let's send love and healing to these bears, money to this cause and please please please try not to hate the people who have done this. Let's send them compassion that they might find another way to make a living. Anybody whose heart is so closed to this atrocity and the enormous suffering of these poor innocent animals has probably also suffered hugely. Dear bears, you are in my prayers xxxx
This is a truly heartbreaking story, I found it very difficult to read and cried a lot while doing so. I really don't understand why this is going on in the world. I feel guilty to say that I couldn't bring myself to watch the video. I've watched some other animal awareness films and have found them to be overwhelming and extremely difficult to get out of my head. I'm not able to watch video footage any more but am very aware of animal cruelty in the world and educate myself as much as possible. Living a cruelty free lifestyle is very important to me and a priority. I feel very sick and disgusted by what is happening to these poor bears and any ill treatment that humans inflict on all animals. I was a vegetarian for 14 years and now a(trying my best) vegan for nearly 2 years. I don't believe animals are there for us to treat this way, it horrifies me to think of the suffering. I hope that the awareness of this will spread, I will link this article on twitter to try and help. I truly admire Jill Robinson for facing the horror and trying to save the bears, my heart and best wishes go out to her. Thank you for writing this and making me aware, I feel ashamed to say that I didn't know that this went on until now.
What a horrible thing, just unbelievable men can be so cold and heartless.
I cried when I wasent there to see what happened thats crazy that you caused her so much pain and forced to kill herself and her baby she gave that cub life so he can be happy with his mom and you made her take that life away.Do you enjoy watching this?Are you proud of what youve done. You all should have to go through the pain she has gon through ,you should be forced to kill your child and live with it, your hands should be chopped off. I hope your proud of what youve done cause you can all go to hell
why human so cruel toward animal? just because the strong eat the weak? no other food can help human to survive? this story really sad. even bear can show her feelings. human just need to be gone and let the nature take it course and all would be better; for sure!
I'm going to enjoy punching some Chinese bear bile farmers when I go to China.
Oh my gosh. This is HORRIBLE. I have never heard of this before. I will never understand why / how some humans have absolutely no humanity or compassion towards animals. This disgusts me. - Thank you for writing about it, posting it and making people aware of it.
And we have these people who make tons of money actors, sport people, lawyers, king, queens , tec people, bankers, gov. people. Why cant they stop this crime/
BenjaminB 3 years ago
While I do believe that there are plenty of situations where animal activists go over board and get a little far fetched I think that this particular activity is outrageous.They should stuff a pipe into the stomachs of the people doing this and wrap them in metal vests.