Coronavirus: China’s bear bile ‘treatment’ for Covid-19 alarms wildlife groups
- China’s National Health Commission has approved the use of bear bile to treat the Covid-19 disease caused by the novel coronavirus
- Raising fears among struggling conservation groups from Australia to Vietnam of an increase in poaching and animal cruelty
Huong Ngo, its director, decided the foundation’s animals needed to be isolated and temporarily stopped admitting visitors to its Ninh Binh sanctuary, home to 29 Asian black bears. All were once privately owned – most so their bile could be harvested and sold as traditional medicine.
Four Paws pre-empted the imposition of social distancing measures in Vietnam on April 1 by almost two weeks, and stockpiled between six months’ and a year’s worth of food and medication for the bears.
Yet Ngo said she was worried about other bears still being held in private facilities that have yet to be rescued.
Vietnam has temporarily banned the transport of wild animals, following similar moves by Beijing which in February barred the domestic trade and consumption of wild animals – a multibillion dollar industry that employs millions of people.