Bear Bile and the Coronavirus by Paige Mongon
Amidst the devastating news of the coronavirus, many are finding solace in the idea that the Earth has been granted a much-needed reprieve. Emissions all over the world have significantly decreased, waters have begun to run clearer, and wildlife has been returning to areas they had previously abandoned. Yet this “good fortune” has not been extended to all wildlife. Lost amidst rising death tolls and news headlines cheerily touting “clearer water in the Venice Canals” or “lower emissions over China” are articles which detail the inhumanity of bear bile farms- bear bile farms which have been capitalizing off of the Chinese government’s decision to release a list of “cures” for the coronavirus. The industry for bear bile is one which is rather ancient- bear bile has been incorporated into traditional Chinese medicines since the 8th century, yet the farming of bears for their bile didn’t begin until the 1980s. The only way to obtain this bear bile, however, is throug...