Projects & Fellowships

Zoos Unite to Help Bears

Photo copyright: Animals Asia Foundation

Zoos and Aquaria across Australasia have joined with the welfare group Animals Asia Foundation to enlist one million supporters to encourage the Government of China to phase out the 'farming' of bears to extract their bile which is used in traditional medicine.

Bile from Asian Black Bears has historically been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat a range of ailments.

Today in China, bears are kept in tiny cages with permanent wounds made through their abdominal wall into the gall bladder to allow the extraction of bile.

However, modern experts in Traditional Chinese Medicine have certified that the bile can easily be replaced by synthetic medications or herbal compounds.

The Australasian Regional Association of Zoos and Aquaria (ARAZPA) was recently contacted by Animals Asia to endorse a veterinary report which catalogued the chronic health problems experienced by bears farmed for their bile.

ARAZPA's Carnivore group was moved by their plight and formulated a proposal to the full membership of zoos and aquaria to spearhead a signature campaign encouraging the Chinese government to continue its work with Animals Asia and ultimately, to phase out bear bile farming. The proposal, called China Bear Rescue, was accepted by the 70 zoos, wildlife parks and aquaria.

The zoos and aquaria aim to collect one million signatures throughout the year from July 2007 and these will be presented to the Chinese Government.

Chinese provincial governments have already worked with Animals Asia to release 219 bears into a sanctuary in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

There are an estimated 7,000 remaining bears trapped in farms, which this campaign is focussed on helping.

Taronga and Taronga Western Plains Zoos are proud to support this initiative and invite all our visitors and supporters to sign up for the China Bear Rescue.