Bearly legal: the social ties binding bear bile trade

For a long time, bear bile consumption was associated with medicinal uses, but in Vietnam, a small bottle of bear bile carries more than just a traditional remedy.

A study by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance reveals a lesser-known reason behind the persistent demand for bear bile. Despite a national ban on farming of bear bile and the availability of synthetic and plant-based alternatives, this century-old tradition continues.

“Bear bile is frequently exchanged within intimate social circles, often as a token of gratitude, a remedy for illness, or even as part of male drinking culture,” says Elizabeth Oneita Davis, lead author and researcher from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “It’s exchanged among close friends, family, and colleagues, especially by older, respected community members.”

Published in People and Nature, the study suggests that continued bear bile use is shaped not only by health beliefs but also by its social significance. Bear bile is often exchanged at family gatherings or among colleagues, reinforcing bonds within social networks. It becomes not just a treatment but also a symbol of social connection.

Bear bile is extracted from the gallbladder of threatened Asiatic black bears and sun bears. Although farming is illegal in Vietnam, enforcement remains difficult. Illegal farms still operate, and poaching of wild bears continues to supply the market. Farms keep bears in terrible conditions, subjecting them to painful extraction procedures.

The research focused on Hà Nội and Nghê An, two northern regions where bear bile use remains prevalent. There, researchers found that social influence plays a central role in sustaining the practice, which could also hold the key to changing it.

“We found that changing behaviour within a small, influential group, especially respected elders, can help shift social norms across entire networks,” Davis explains. Rather than relying only on law enforcement or public awareness campaigns, the answer to stopping illegal wildlife trade could be empowering communities to lead the change from within.

Changing hearts within close-knit circles may prove more powerful than law alone, offering a path where cultural connection becomes a force for conservation, not cruelty.

This article was originally published in third edition of ThisWildEarth. Explore our publications here.

A sun bear at the San Diego Zoo. Credit: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

A vial filled with bear bile. Credit: Hieu Vo

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