Incredible Short Film Exposes the Heartbreaking Tradition of Farming Bears for Their Bile (VIDEO)

There are over 7,000 bears living in bile farms in China alone, as it is often believed that the bear’s bile fluid contains medicinal properties. Despite the fact that there is little proof that taking bear bile is any more effective than popping a Tylenol, people continue to pay for this “remedy,” largely at the costs of the bears themselves.

To obtain the bile, Sun bears and Moon bears are captured from the wild at a young age and sold to bear bile farmers, who contain them in small cages just to harvest their bile in unbelievably cruel ways. While the lifespan of a wild bear is estimated at 35 years, bile farm bears rarely make it more than five years living under such horrific conditions.

In this short film produced for Animals Asia, which has been working hard to spread awareness and help end this cruel practice, photographer Jo-Anne McArthur shows the plight of these bears.

Despite all of the progress organizations like Animals Asia have made, demand continues, making torturing bears a profitable business. If you would like to assist Animals Asia in their efforts to stop this barbaric trade, please visit their website by clicking here and share this video to increase awareness.