Newspaper Review II

Title: Bile the bear truth
Date: December 9 2008
Section: Home Page B5

Summary:
This article talks about Asiatic black bears being killed for their bile. The bears across Asia are still confined in tiny rusting cages and milked for their bile. 500kg of bear bile is used in Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China every year but over 6500kg is produced in excess. In China, 7002 of the bears are kept in the 247 bear farms. Many inhumane practice are used there, for example, Free-drip, Fake free-drip, Metal catheter or jacket. In Vietnam, 4000-5000 of the bears remains trapped, feeding the illicit trade. Crude surgery and ultrasound are methods used to obtain the bile from the bears. In Korea, 1400 bears are kept in 100 farms. Extraction if bile from live bears is illegal, but farmers slaughter them in front of customers to prove the authenticity of the gall bladders. Meat and feet are also sold there.
In Singapore, 2001, out of 68 TCM shops, 50 were found selling bile products. In 2006, out of 115 TCM shops, 23 shops were found offering bear products. in 2007, a campaign was launced to end the trade of endangered species.

Reflection:
I think it is very cruel of mankind to kill the bears, especially using those cruel methods. Animals have the rights to have freedom and not kept in small cages. Animals have the rights not to suffer just to fit human needs. Such inhumane practices are due to our demand for bile products. Many people would find excuses like, if people killed and obtain the bile, if I don't eat it, it will be a waste. That is not a reason, without people's demand for such product, the bear would not have been killed for its bile.
We should make it a point not to eat endangered species, or use endangered species product. If the creature becomes extinct, there will not be any more bile products. Once it become extinct, we will never ever see the creature again.

YunLi