How can you help the bears?

This is the third and final part of The Reality of Bear Bile Farming. You now know about how bile is farmed, why it's farmed, and that it doesn't have to be this way.

There are a number of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) that are on the ground in Southeast Asia, making a difference. They are working to shut down bile farms, rehabilitate the bears, and educate people on the natural and synthetic alternatives to bear bile that are available.

Wildlife Alliance 

Wildlife Alliance are based in Cambodia and work with local communities to preserve and resurrect forests, as well as protect wildlife and prevent illegal trafficking. They work directly with law enforcement to make arrests, as well as rescue and rehabilitate confiscated animals. Since 2001, they have successfully confiscated 60,000 individual animals, including bears (Wildlife Alliance, n.d.).

While these legal avenues are certainly helpful in deterring poachers and illegal wildlife trafficking.

 

Wildlife Alliance Impact (Wildlife Alliance, n.d.)

Free The Bears

Free The Bears are an organisation founded by a Perth grandmother named Mary Hutton, who saw a news report on bear bile farming in 1993 and couldn't stand by and let it continue. 22 years later, and there are hundreds of bears rescued between Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and India, living out their lives in the safety of a sanctuary (Free The Bears, n.d.). They employ locals, providing them an income and teaching them about the importance of conservation and animal care. 

Bear Rescue (Free The Bears, 2014)

Animals Asia

Animals Asia are an animal welfare organisation dedicated to the humane treatment of all animals. One of their primary focuses is ending the trade in bear bile, and providing rescued bears with the best quality of life possible. They work to reduce the demand for bile; educate people on the reality of the trade; keep up to date with the trends of bear bile use and sales, physically going to the places it is sold and produced; lobbying for legislative changes; and caring for the bears they've successfully rescued (Animals Asia, 2014).

 

End Bear Farming (YouTube, 2011)

I hope you've learned about a few aspects of the bear bile farming industry, and I certainly hope you'll support the movements to bring it to an end. Please feel free to vote in the poll to the right of the screen to let me know how this blog has impacted you, or leave a comment below. 

References 

Animals Asia 2011,   End Bear Farming, YouTube, viewed 23 May 2015, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PENl5091uAM> 

 

Animals Asia 2014, End Bear Bile Farming, viewed 23 May 2015, <https://www.animalsasia.org/intl/our-work/end-bear-bile-farming/>

Free The Bears n.d., Free The Bears - About Us, viewed 23 May 2015, <http://freethebears.org.au/web/About-Us>

Free The Bears Fund 2014, Bear Rescue [Photograph], posted 16 August 2014, viewed 23 May 2015, <https://www.facebook.com/freethebearsfund/photos/pb.117302048290717.-2207520000.1432366557./801758339845081/?type=3&src=https%3A%2F%2Ffbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net%2Fhphotos-ak-xpf1%2Fv%2Ft1.0-9%2F10492522_801758339845081_671454610588626994_n.jpg%3Foh%3Da43df959d557a61bbccfdba6e40a5a3d%26oe%3D55BF2763%26__gda__%3D1443223970_d8f7092bb174f1998217b547f26c256b&size=960%2C640&fbid=801758339845081>

Wildlife Alliance n.d., Wildlife Alliance Impact [Photograph], viewed 23 May 2015, <http://wildlifealliance.org/page/view/70/impact> 

Wildlife Alliance n.d., Wildlife, viewed 27 April 2015 <http://wildlifealliance.org/page/view/73/wildlife>