{"id":61124,"date":"2026-08-07T09:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/moon-bears-survived-bile-farms-now-theyre-learning-to-trust-again\/07\/08\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T09:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T13:03:13","slug":"moon-bears-survived-bile-farms-now-theyre-learning-to-trust-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/moon-bears-survived-bile-farms-now-theyre-learning-to-trust-again\/07\/08\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Moon Bears Survived Bile Farms. Now They\u2019re Learning to Trust Again."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\" data-body-type=\"bodyblocks\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The post <a data-ylk=\"slk:Moon Bears Survived Bile Farms. Now They're Learning to Trust Again.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/articles\/moon-bears-survived-bile-farms-now-theyre-learning-to-trust-again\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Moon Bears Survived Bile Farms. Now They&#8217;re Learning to Trust Again.<\/a> appeared first on <a data-ylk=\"slk:A-Z Animals;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_content=1599623\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">A-Z Animals<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a data-ylk=\"slk:Bears;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/animals\/bear\/?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=in_content&amp;utm_content=1599623\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Bears<\/a> are found all over the world, but one of the most striking-looking species is the <a data-ylk=\"slk:Asiatic black bear;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/animals\/asiatic-black-bear\/?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=in_content&amp;utm_content=1599623\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Asiatic black bear<\/a>. Also called <a data-ylk=\"slk:moon bears;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/animals\/asiatic-black-bear\/?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=in_content&amp;utm_content=1599623\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">moon bears<\/a>, Asiatic black bears are easily identifiable by the white or cream crescent patch of fur <a data-ylk=\"slk:across their chests;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/articles\/moon-bear-vs-sun-bear-what-are-the-differences\/?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=in_content&amp;utm_content=1599623\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">across their chests<\/a>. They are considered crop-damagers by humans because of their tendency to strip trees of bark and feast on fruit orchards. In the wild, however, Asiatic black bears are true ecological agents; they maintain forest diversity, stimulate plant growth, and aid in nutrient cycling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The conflict between their tendency to damage human-cultivated crops and their role in enriching wild forests is only one aspect of the moon bear&#8217;s story. Asiatic black bears are prized in Traditional Chinese Medicine for their bile, which is said to cure a host of diseases. This has made the species incredibly vulnerable to poaching and resulted in thousands of bears being imprisoned in bile farms across Asia, where they experience one of the cruelest forms of animal exploitation imaginable. To commemorate <a data-ylk=\"slk:International Moon Bear Day;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/articles\/the-heartbreaking-lives-of-moon-bears-in-bile-farms-and-how-you-can-help\/?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=in_content&amp;utm_content=1599623\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">International Moon Bear Day<\/a>, let&#8217;s take a closer look at this unique species, how it helps its habitats, and what can be done to stop the vile trade in moon bear bile.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">About Moon Bears<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\"><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\"><\/p>\n<p>Asiatic black bears are known as moon bears because they have white or cream-colored crescents in their chest fur.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9Michelle Holihan\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Moon bears, also known as <a data-ylk=\"slk:Asiatic black bears;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/animal\/Asiatic-black-bear\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Asiatic black bears<\/a> (<em>Ursus thibetanus<\/em>), are medium-sized bears native to the forests of Asia. They are easily identified by their dark black coats and bright white or yellow V-shaped crescents across their chests. They are adept tree climbers and use their curved claws to reach the top of tall tree canopies with ease.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Typically, they are found in broadleaf forests across Asia, including Southeast Asia, the Himalayas, Iran, Pakistan, and even eastern Russia. There, they consume a range of native fruits and nuts. They are also among the most bipedal of bear species, capable of walking upright for up to a quarter mile at a time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Whether Asiatic black bears are damaging or beneficial to the environment is a matter of perspective. They are a headache for loggers because they strip trees of their bark, and a bane to farmers because they pilfer crops. At the same time, however, they are <a data-ylk=\"slk:vital ecological workers;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/lionstigersandbears.org\/guardians-of-the-forest-bears-essential-ecological-role\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">vital ecological workers<\/a> in the wilderness. Moon bears, with their steady diet of plants and fruits, help disperse seeds across large areas. By feeding on treetops, they create gaps in the forest canopy that encourage the growth of understory plants. They also dig up roots, which aerates the soil and improves nutrient cycling.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">In recent years, Asiatic black bears have become a vulnerable species, primarily due to their value in traditional medicine.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Bear Bile Horrors<\/h2>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Asiatic black bears face numerous threats, including habitat destruction. However, perhaps the most pernicious threat these bears face is overhunting. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the bile produced by moon bears is considered something of a panacea; it contains ursodeoxycholic acid, which is prized for its anti-inflammatory and organ-protecting properties. In the late 20th century, the extraction of bear bile became commercialized.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">This led to the rise of bear bile farms. These farms are like something out of a nightmare; bears are kept in cramped cages day and night. Worse, farmers <a data-ylk=\"slk:extract their bile;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org\/cgi\/viewcontent.cgi?article=1053&amp;context=acwp_awap\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">extract their bile<\/a> by creating permanent open wounds on the bears&#8217; abdomens and inserting metal catheters. Repeated manipulation of these fistulas, combined with horrific living conditions, causes imprisoned moon bears to develop severe medical conditions. Such treatment results in muscle atrophy, liver cancer, chronic infections, and even broken teeth from attempts to gnaw out of cramped cages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Although synthetic and plant-based alternatives to <a data-ylk=\"slk:ursodeoxycholic acid are widely available;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC2630947\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">ursodeoxycholic acid are widely available<\/a>, demand for raw bear bile persists. Legislation put in place to protect moon bears has only shifted the focus to poaching. Day after day, female moon bears are killed, and their cubs are kidnapped for these bile farms. As a result, moon bear populations are decreasing at an alarming rate across Asia.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">Glimmers of Hope<\/h2>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"asiatic black bear near the pool\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"640\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/b06e31632eb456c93c77a68a09e4af382e4836d35f46f0945852b26f2bd0afa1\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w960%3Bquality_80%3Bformat_webp\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fa_z_animals_articles_598%2Fe4fc44b65f27698c5948260a4b1cd5be\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-primary p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-primary\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" class=\"flex-none size-4 -scale-x-100 text-primary lg:size-6 [&amp;_path]:fill-current\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M3.1 3.1V11h1.8V6.314l5.392 5.393 1.415-1.414L6.313 4.9H11V3.1zm17.8 17.8V13h-1.8v4.686l-5.393-5.393-1.415 1.414 5.393 5.393H13v1.8z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-primary hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<div style=\"max-height:none;overflow:visible\"><span class=\"[&amp;_p]:inline\"><\/p>\n<p>Sanctuaries across Asia rescue bile farm bears and nurse them back to health.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9sanpom\/Shutterstock.com<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The existence of International Moon Bear Day highlights the significant progress made by advocates, organizations, and governments to protect moon bears. Several organizations, including Animals Asia, Free the Bears, and Four Paws, <a data-ylk=\"slk:operate sanctuary networks across Asia;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/www.animalsasia.org\/our-work\/ending-bear-bile-farming-vietnam\/free-the-final-bears\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">operate sanctuary networks across Asia<\/a>. These sanctuaries provide lifelong care for bears rescued from bile farms.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Recovery can be a long process, but these organizations work tirelessly to transform traumatized bears into healthy, happy individuals. This includes medical treatment to repair wounds caused by bile extraction and slowly introducing sensory enrichment. Over time, many severely injured and previously isolated moon bears recover enough to regain their strength and interact with other bears. These organizations also invest heavily in education, helping shift public perception of moon bears from commodities to wildlife in need of protection.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Various governments, too, have made great improvements to legislation surrounding moon bears. Vietnam outlawed the capture of moon bears and the extraction of bile in 2005. They also microchipped existing bears to prevent further poaching. South Korea was the last major holdout when it came to ending the vicious practice of bile bear farming. Just this year, however, the country passed an amendment to its Wildlife Protection and Management Act. This prohibited the breeding, ownership, and bile extraction of bears entirely, <a data-ylk=\"slk:ending a decades-long bile bear industry;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/law.lclark.edu\/live\/news\/58453-bear-bile-banned-south-korea-the-latest-to#:~:text=Thankfully%2C%20as%20global%20condemnation%20and,and%20their%20parts%E2%80%94including%20bile.\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">ending a decades-long bile bear industry<\/a>. Despite these threats, there is hope for moon bears as the 21st century progresses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The post <a data-ylk=\"slk:Moon Bears Survived Bile Farms. Now They're Learning to Trust Again.;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com\/articles\/moon-bears-survived-bile-farms-now-theyre-learning-to-trust-again\/\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">Moon Bears Survived Bile Farms. Now They&#8217;re Learning to Trust Again.<\/a> appeared first on <a data-ylk=\"slk:A-Z Animals;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;link&quot;,&quot;yLinkElementType&quot;:&quot;article_link&quot;}\" href=\"https:\/\/a-z-animals.com?utm_campaign=feed&amp;utm_source=rss_feed&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_content=1599623\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\">A-Z Animals<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/lifestyle\/articles\/moon-bears-survived-bile-farms-123200597.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The post Moon Bears Survived Bile Farms. Now They&rsquo;re Learning to Trust Again. appeared first on A-Z Animals. Bears are found all<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/moon-bears-survived-bile-farms-now-theyre-learning-to-trust-again\/07\/08\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":61125,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/lo\/mysterio\/api\/f0a21b9c8d515db8fab222fbdbe40f1773381ada4cc7834719bbb59dca3a1973\/lightyear_networkapi\/resizefill_w1200%3Bquality_80%3Bformat_jpg\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.zenfs.com%2Fen%2Fa_z_animals_articles_598%2F97226c93b910248953644cfe5629ff13","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61124\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}