Do moon bears live in China?
The majority of moon bears worldwide are located in China, many in the northern and southeastern provinces. The main provinces for bear farming are Heilongjiang and Jilin in the north and Sichuan and Yunan in the southeast.
What is Moon bear bile used for?
This acid is medically proven to help dissolve gallstones and treat liver disease. Bear bile, however, is also marketed as a cure for cancer, colds, hangovers, and more, though there is no scientific evidence supporting its effectiveness for these ailments.
How many moon bears are left in the world 2020?
According to Traffic East Asia, a monitoring organization, there are 25,000 moon bears left in the world. But the Bear Conservation Action Plan published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the numbers of moon bears in China as fewer than 20,000.
Is bear bile farming legal in China?
Unfortunately, bear bile farming is still completely legal in China. Although there are regulations in place aimed at curbing the worst cruelty, these are often ignored and so far there have been no prosecutions. Bears on bile farms live in isolation and cannot express any natural behaviours.
Are moon bears friendly?
After life alone on a bile farm, moon bear Cinta is now one of the friendliest bears ever rescued, and even the crankiest bears want to join his club. For bears learning to live again after being rescued from bile farms, meeting other bears can be tough.
Are moon bears extinct?
Moon bears are the most exploited bear species on the planet, listed as Appendix 1 “most endangered” by CITES and have become effectively extinct in many countries, including Vietnam.
How much is bear bile worth?
A U.S. hunter can sell a bear gallbladder for $20 to $120, with the retail price ranging from $75 to $600. Paws fetch $25 to $60 each, while a carcass or hide can range from $200 to $1,500, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
Why are moon bears called moon bears?
Moon bears are smaller than their American black bear cousins with adult males weighing around 150kg. They have a distinctive lemon-coloured, v-shaped crescent on their chest from which their name is derived.
How long do moon bears live for?
Bears generally begin breeding at age 4 or 5, and live 25-30 years in the wild. They can survive for 35 years in captivity. As the most bipedal of the bear species, moon bears stand on their hind legs with ease.
How is bile extracted from moon bears?
Bear’s bile is extracted using various invasive techniques, all of which cause severe suffering, pain and infection. The method claimed to be the most ‘humane’ by bile farmers, is ‘free-drip’ method, where bears undergo surgery to create a permanent open passage from their gallbladder through their abdomen.
Is the Golden Moon Bear Real?
Description. A captured golden moon bear The moon bear is a recognized species of bear that is native to Asia, also known as the Asiatic black bear. Scientists think that the moon bear is only distantly related to the American black bear (which is itself a close relative of the grizzly bear).
How long do moon bears live?