Profile Of An Asiatic Black Bear (Beauty)

The Asiatic Black Bear/Moon Bear/Himalayan Black Bear/Ursus thibetanus
a.k.a. the victim of bear bile farming...

What is an Asiatic Moon Bear?
An Asiatic Black or Moon Bear is a bear that looks much like the American Black Bear. However, the Moon Bear has wider, more pronounced ears and a distinctive white or cream "V" on its chest. This husky animal is a strong climber with formidable claws and strong forelimbs.

Asiatic Black Bears grow four to six feet long. Males can weigh anywhere from 220 to 480 pounds, while females range from 110 to 275 pounds.

So, how exactly do these large and strong creatures end up in Bear Bile Farms?
Trappers place traps (from snares to leg-hold traps) in spots where the bears must go through. As climbers, these bears spend most of their lives up in the trees. Knowing this fact, trappers place traps in trees and at the base of trees. Trappers will also place traps along known water sources for these bears. When faced with a metal wire or a leg-hold trap, these bears' size doesn't mean anything. The only way to escape is to create massive harm to their already injured limb, which in many cases, they will lose.

Where do these bears live?
With an extensive, but disturbed range, these bears are found all over south Asia (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northern India, Nepal, and Bhutan). They are also found to the east in Vietnam and Northeast China. To the northy, they live in southeast Russia, Taiwan, and on the Japanese islands of Honshu and Shikoku.

These bears live in temperate mountain forests and other brushy areas. They can occur as high as 9,900 feet, but are ofter found in lowlands. They can adapt in many environments.

What makes them special?
The crescent shape on their chest resembles a crescent moon. This gives them their name. While they can eat meat, Moon Bears prefer a mostly vegetarian diet. In the fall, Moon Bears choose to fatten themselves on acorns, chestnuts, walnuts, and other fat-enriched resources. These bears are great gatherers and will climb trees to pick these nuts. They will also stand on their hindlegs while on the forest floor to reach into trees. In the spring, they thrive on new plant growth that includes bamboo, raspberry, hydrangea, and other plants.

These bears will also take advantage of rodents' caches of acorns. Meaning, instead of eating these squirrels, they take nuts from their tree stores for food. Other plants offer food during the summer such as raspberries, cherries, and grasses. Also, during the summer, they will feed on ants and other insects to suplement their diets.

Rarely, these bears will eat carrion and sometimes, will attack livestock.

Let's focus. These bears are peaceful creatures who enjoy the same luxuries as we do. They like raspberries, cherries, walnuts, and chestnuts just like we do. They appreciate a nice climb every now and then. We rock climb, don't we? These bears are intelligent, majestic, and just plain ol' awesome animals who represent little threat to man so long as we stay out of their habitat. Just as we should represent little threat to them. We have more in common with them than you might naturally think.

Asiatic Moon Bears can live to be 30-years-old in zoos. Due to their foul treatment, we don't really know how long they live in the wild, but if they can live past 20 years in Bile Farms while being subjected to torture, I don't doubt that they could live longer in the wild.

During hybernation, bears in Japan can sleep up to five months, while in other places, they may not hybernate at all.

The Asiatic Black Bear is the American Black Bear's closest cousin. They also share Giant Panda habitat in China's Wolong Reserve, where they feed on bamboo and other food sources.

These bears also go through something called a "Fall Feeding Frenzy" where they snap tree branches as they climb trees looking for food. The popping sound can be heard across the valley where other bears occur. The bent-back branches provide platforms (while crude platforms) for these bears to climb on.

Moon Bears have a couple of Daily Activities. They are nocturnal and often sleep all day in a cave or hollow tree. They come out at duck and begin looking for food. They like to find trees with high forks that they can sit it and create a "bear's nest". Rehabilitators recreate this favorite spot by providing bears with high tree hammocks.

Legal Status
The Asiatic Black Bear is listed as vulnerable on the World Conservation Unions (IUCN's) Red List of Threatened Animals. This means that they are subject to the moderate chance of extinction.
This is primarily due to trapping and bear bile farming.

Are They Protected?
While they are protected elsewhere. In China, Vietnam, and Korea, bear bile farmers justify the treatment of these bears and the use of their bile as traditional practices which they have a right to do. This is a justification with many holes. Back in the day, Bears were hunted fairly. One bear supported an entire group. The gall-bladder was used, but the meat also supported the 'tribe' of sorts. The bear did not suffer a day-in and day-out process just for the benefit of human kind. They were dispatched quickly and properly. The farming of these bears has no justification; traditional or not. GO OUT AND HUNT THEM FAIR AND SQUARE OR DON'T DO THIS! The Chinese, Vietnamese, and Koreans are not playing fair and have not been playing fair since 1984 when farming began.

China's Bear Bile Farming is a disgrace to the planet earth. It is an abomination under God. It is a crime against all things right and moral. For China, Vietnam, and Korea to continue to allow this inhumane treatment and complete overexploitation of this majestic and beautiful animal is completely irresponsible and deems them unhuman. For a group that believes in chi or whatever, what chi could these bears possibly have after being tormented like this?

As I stated in my last blog, Jackie Chan is an involved member of the WSPA who is devoted to ending bear bile farming... Here is his PSA... Please watch...

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBpV1G68-vw&NR=1)

Thanks for reading,
Ashley

P.S The Moon Teddybear in the last picture is made by a woman named Karin who is against Bear Bile Farming. Her love for moon bears led her to make these bears, whose sail results in a 10% donation to Animals Asia and the ending of Bear Farms

For more information,

http://www.conradicreations.com/moon/moon_bears.html