Metabolic derangements and reduced survival of bile-extracted Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus)

Abstract

Background Across China and Southeast Asia, an estimated 17,000 bears are currently farmed for bile, primarily for traditional medicines. Depending on country, bile is extracted daily via transabdominal gallbladder fistulas, indwelling catheters, or needle aspiration. Despite claims that bears do not develop adverse effects from bile extraction, health issues identified in bears removed from bile farms include bile-extraction site infections, abdominal hernias, peritonitis, cholecystitis, hepatic neoplasia, cardiac disease, skeletal abnormalities, and abnormal behaviors. We present a comprehensive assessment of the effects of bile farming by comparing serum biochemical and hematological values of bears from farms that were bile-extracted (BE) and bears from farms not bile-extracted (FNE) with bears from non-farm captive (ZOO) and free-range (FR) environments. We hypothesized BE bears would have significant laboratory abnormalities compared to all non-extracted bear groups. We also hypothesized BE bears would have reduced long-term survival compared to FNE bears despite removal from farms. Results BE bears exhibited the highest values and greatest variation (on a population level) in laboratory parameters compared to all non-extracted bear groups particularly for alanine transaminase, gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT), total bilirubin (TBIL), alkaline phosphatase (ALKP), blood urea nitrogen, creatinine (CREA), and total white blood cell count. Significant differences were detected between bear groups when accounting for season, sex, and/or age. BE bears exhibited greater mean serum GGT compared to all non-extracted bear groups, and the odds of having elevated TBIL were 7.3 times greater for BE bears, consistent with hepatobiliary disease. Biochemical parameter elevations in BE bears persisted up to 14 years post-rescue, consistent with long-term effects of bile-extraction. BE bears that arrived with elevated CREA and ALKP had median survival times of 1 and 4 years respectively, and regardless of laboratory abnormalities, BE bears had significantly shorter survival times compared to FNE bears. Conclusions Our results provide strong evidence that bile extraction practices not only represent a temporary constraint for bears’ welfare, but confer distinct long-term adverse health consequences. Routine laboratory panels may be insensitive to detect the extent of underlying illness in BE bears as these bears have significantly reduced survival regardless of biochemical assessment compared to FNE bears. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12917-019-2006-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Combining data from consumers and traditional medicine practitioners to provide a more complete picture of Chinese bear bile markets

“…In addition to the conservation implications, bear farming has been the subject of intense scrutiny due to animal welfare concerns (e.g. Crudge et al, 2020), which may have long-term health implications on bileextracted bears (Bando et al, 2019). Poor hygiene and welfare standards on bear farms also have relevance to current post-COVID-19 discussions around wildlife products and zoonotic disease risk, as captive bears have been shown to carry diseases that can be passed to humans (Wu et al, 2018).…”

Modification of Domestic Animal Lameness Scales for Use in Asiatic Black Bears (Ursus thibetanus)

“…Before arriving at the rescue center, most of the resident bears had spent over a decade on bile farms in small cages, with very poor welfare and high levels of chronic stress [38]. Due to these conditions, many rescued bears suffer from long-term diseases, such as hypertension, heart disease, dental disease, liver/gall bladder diseases, and osteoarthritis (a progressively worsening inflammation of the joint caused by the deterioration of cartilage) [15,39,40]. Most of the lameness conditions observed in rescued bears are a result of osteoarthritis, which is diagnosed by physical examination and radiographs while chemically immobilized.…”

Bear with me: Understanding motivations for bear farming in Vietnam

“…Bear farms are associated with a plethora of animal welfare and conservation concerns. Malnourishment, unhygienic conditions, stress-induced behaviours, infected wounds and inhumane treatment have been documented at farming facilities across Asia (Maas, 2000;Li, 2004;Loeffler et al, 2009;Kikuchi, 2012;Bando et al, 2019). Farms have also been criticised for negatively impacting wild bear populations; although the introduction of farms was presupposed to reduce pressure on wild populations by flooding the market with cheaper products and decreasing the profitability of poaching, in reality the use of wild bears has not subsided with the growth of farming (Crudge et al, 2018).…”