How is bile extracted from bears?

The process of bile extraction from farmed bears differs between countries say the experts at Animals Asia.

However, in Vietnam, bears are typically rendered chemically immobile using illegal ketamine to allow ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of their bile. The frequency of this procedure ranges from once a week to once every two to three months, with many bears dying within four to ten years due to illnesses and injuries resulting from the process. 

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Bear farm cages are small, approximately 1.5m wide, 2m long, and 1.5m high and are permanent living cages. Farmed bears often have teeth and claws removed to prevent injuries to farmers, and will frequently engage in abnormal repetitive behaviours such as bouncing, pacing, head-swaying and bar-biting in an attempt to cope with their environment.

Of the bears rescued from farms, the most common health issues requiring ongoing daily treatment are systemic hypertension, mobility and skin problems, liver and gallbladder diseases, and cancer. Perhaps unsurprisingly, bile harvested from farmed bears is often contaminated with blood, faeces, pus, urine and bacteria, all of which risk the health of human consumers. https://youtu.be/NagNuosSHto

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Top image credit: Animals Asia