Monica Bando - Vet at the Moon Bear Rescue - making a difference

Gong Jien, Susan Xu, Moi and Monica Bando at the Moon Bear Rescue Facility

I asked Monica Bando, the Senior Veterinary Surgeon at the Moon Bear Rescue centre to describe why she does what she does.

 

 

Moon Bears & Traditional Chinese Medicine – Life in a Cage

Millions of people around the world (and particularly in Asia) have benefited from the thousands of years of learning that has gone into the development of traditional Chinese/Asian medicine (TCM). Although most people in the western world consider TCM as alternative medicine, it accounts for about 40% of the treatment s in China… and a large percentage throughout Asia.

Pickled Salamanders and Snakes available in Vietnam

Traditional Chinese Medicine includes things like acupuncture, massage and also the herbal remedies created through the use of plants and animals. Thousands of species of plants and fungi have been used to create remedies for everything from head colds to hemorrhoids. But it is not only plant parts that are used and  as a result there is a huge appetite to fill the demand for parts such as shark fins, deer antlers, rhinoceros horns and the bones and other body parts of mammals ranging from tigers to seahorses. While in Vietnam I saw stores selling living and dried snakes, seahorses, salamanders and pickled scorpions. All in the name of TCM.

But the animal part or product that makes me shudder is the continued use and demand for the bile from the gall bladders of bears.

Moon Bear in Bile Farm Cage

The gall bladders from wild Asian bears have been sought for use in medicines for centuries. But a practice that started only about 30 years ago is one that will likely disgust you.

Imagine for a moment (and please excuse my anthropomorphism) walking in a forest on a beautiful spring day – with fresh air, birds singing and you have that wonderful feeling of freedom.

Then imagine yourself being trapped in a snare, one so tight that despite all of your efforts you are not able to release yourself. Next you are taken (against your will) to a place where you are manhandled and shoved into a tiny cage … one so small that you are not able to turn around, wriggle … or even touch your hand  to your nose to scratch an  itch.

Rescued Moon Bear in Chengdu Facility

Next, a doctor (of sorts) slices you open to find your gall bladder and attaches a tube to siphon off the bile produced … drip by drip. You lay there in excruciating pain unable to move, being fed only enough to keep you alive, trapped motionless in a cage not for one month, not for one year, but for from 20 to 30 years… if you can survive!

This is exactly what is happening to Moon Bears (aka Asiatic Black Bears) in China and Korea (legally) as well as Vietnam (illegally).

The “bear farms” first came to be in the early 1980s in China and Korea. The argument for their creation was that they would reduce the number of wild bears being taken for their gall bladders and instead fill the huge demand for bear bile for an ever increasing human population that believes strongly in a TCM and the medical benefits of bear gall medical products.

It is believed that bile from the bear gall bladders can cure myriad conditions including liver problems, respiratory issues and hemorrhoids.

It is true that research has shown that some of these conditions can be improved with the use of bear bile … but the active ingredient has been synthesized (in Japan and Germany) and is readily available … but tradition has users wanting the real McCoy!

Because of this, the demand for bear bile continues and although some countries have banned the practice of bear farming it is still legal in China and Korea.

The Moon Bear Rescue Facility in Chengdu, operated by Animals Asia, was created in 1993, by Animals Asia Founder and CEO Jill Robinson to rescue bears from Chinese bear bile farms and to increase awareness of the inhumanity of the practice.

There are about 150 adult bears at the rescue centre cared for by vets from overseas and their Chinese support team. It was extremely sad to see some of the bears, who stayed in their cages despite having the opportunity to leave … walking in a small circle continuously …around and around and around … due to psychological damage caused by life in a cage.

But, at the same time it was heart-warming to watch dozens of other bears playing and wrestling with each other, swimming in a bear pool or lazing in the sun... with the freedom to move around their pens.

I was also so impressed by the commitment of the vet team that come from around the world to contribute their knowledge and expertise to making the lives of these rescued bears better.

A huge thank you Gong Jien, Susan Xiu & JingJing Chen at the Moon Bear Rescue

I asked Monica Bando, the senior vet surgeon at the Moon Bear Rescue centre to describe why she does what she does.  (see my next post).

For more information check out: www.animalsasia.org.cn

Kung Fu Giant Panda – Conservation or Big Business?

The Giant Panda is without a doubt the most famous icon for endangered species in the world despite there being dozens? hundreds? or thousands of other species that are more threatened or endangered (see the post on Asiatic Lions from earlier in the journey in April).

There are approximately 1500 Giant Pandas left on the planet today. This is despite being surrounded by a human population exceeding 1.3 billion people (to put 1,300,000,000 into perspective, if you wanted to count to 1.3 billion it would take you about 43 years to do so!). These bears have lots of human neighbours ... although they do live in very remote regions!

Giant Pandas feed primarily on bamboo one of the fastest growing plants in the world and also one of the largest grass species! Depending on where they are their target food source may be any one of 30 different species of bamboo. They prefer the delicious (and nutritious) new shoots so their movements (as with so many wildlife species around the planet) follow food availability.

It is extremely difficult (virtually impossible?) to see a Giant Panda in the wild. They live in remote mountainous regions of China and even biologists who have worked in Giant Panda habitats for years (like friends Gong Jien and Zhang Zhelin) rarely get a glimpse. In fact Gong Jien who has worked in the field doing Giant Panda habitat work has only seen a Giant Panda on two occasions in all the years he has worked with this charismatic species.

If you really want to see one then your only realistic options are to either visit a zoo (and there a quite a few around the world that have them … as will be discussed) or visit one of the Giant Panda breeding centres. There are two such facilities in the region around Chengdu, one in Chengdu itself and the other about 120 kilometres away at the Ya’an Bi Fang Gorge (Bifengxia Panda Base).This is the facility where Giant Pandas from the Wolong Reserve were moved after the devastating earthquake of 2008 (see the post on Chengdu to learn more about the earthquake that hit Chengdu).

The Bifengxia Panda Breeding Centre serves four main purposes:
1)    Giant Panda breeding
2)    Providing Giant Panda to zoos in Asia and around the world
3)    Raising and releasing captive bred Giant Panda into the wild
4)    Tourism – Giant Panda viewing

There are 149 pandas in the Bifengxia Panda facility including a couple of youngsters (about 7 months old held in the Panda Kindergarten), a few 1.5 year olds and the adults.

Giant Pandas can be leased to zoos for the modest price of approximately one million US dollars per year and some international zoos have lease arrangements for periods up to 10 years. If a Giant Panda cub is born while the parents are in the foreign zoo the cub still belongs to China and must be returned at three years of age.

In fact there are a number of Giant Panda here at the Bifengxia Panda Base that were returned from their overseas birthplaces (i.e. whether they hold dual citizenship I am not sure). An old Scottish friend (Ian Stewart) sent me a note via Facebook the other day suggesting I could go see the Giant Pandas at the Edinburgh Zoo … that pair in fact was provided from this facility.

One would suspect (at least I would) that the primary purpose of the facility would be to raise Giant Panda for their re-introduction in the wild but it does not seem to be the case. A male was released into the wild in 2008 but he lasted only just over one year … he was found dead at the bottom of a cliff. Chinese biologists believe that he likely had a fight with another wild male (over female or perhaps territory) and lost the battle.

They are going to try another release soon. A 2 year old female has been isolated in a semi-wild enclosure with her parents and is scheduled to be released this fall (2012). It will be interesting to see how she fares in the mountains of Sichuan.

And yes… the Giant Panda is a tourism mega species. Dollars, Euros, Yen and Yuen are generated in so many ways (not only through leasing to zoos) in the name of the Giant Panda. Tourists from all over China and around the world visit the breeding centres to view, photograph and learn about the species that has captured the hearts of millions (if not billions). You just have to look at the tourist shops lined up outside the gates of the Bifengxia Panda Base to get a taste of the commercialization of the Giant Panda.

So… what is the future for the Giant Panda? There are only 1500 adults left in the wild and many conservationists feel the species is on the pathway to extinction or while others feel it is already genetically extinct.

What does that mean? Sure, there are over one thousands individuals in the wild… but is that enough to keep the species going? To have a healthy species… we need a ‘viable population’ one large enough that can withstand unexpected changes or events (disease, drought, climate change) and has enough individuals to have genetic diversity. We certainly have a viable human population but when it comes to the Giant Panda I am not so sure.

Gong Jien and Staff at the Bifengxia Panda Base

Old Friends - Gong Jien - Wildlife Biologist

Gong Jien & Moi on my first visit to China (a few years ago)

I looked a little younger when I first visited China. Today my old Simon Fraser University classmate, Gong Jien, works as a wildlife biologist and wildlife manager for the Sichuan Forestry Department and is based in Chengdu. He has worked on Giant Panda, Moon Bears and is now the Executive Director for the CITES Management Authority of China. CITES stands for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

As some of you may know the illegal trade in wildlife parts is a multi-billion dollar industry globally and one of the target markets is Asia, and in particular China. Elephant ivory from Africa, bear gall bladders, claws and paws from Canada and the US and all sorts of other wildlife and their parts make their way to Asia on ships, in planes and even in the baggage of travelers all bound for the lucrative market. Not all species that are part of the trade are big and furry.

Gong Jien works within the Sichuan region on Chinese species of concern. We all know about Giant Pandas ... but do you know about the fungus that grows on particular worms in the mountains of Sichuan and in the Himalayas? Gong Jien's department has a campaign to try and reduce the harvest of this worm/fungus as the harvest process is destructive to mountain habitats (local people can make a lot of money by harvesting the fungus).

The fungus (Cordyceps sinensis) is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as an aphrodisiac and for other ailments. Other species of the genus Cordyceps are sources of biochemicals with valuable biological and pharmacological properties (so its value is documented and perhaps that is why it is so valuable).

I was given the opportunity to meet the staff and also present an overview of my Catt-Trax journeys to the staff of the Chengdu Forestry Department which was I thoroughly enjoyed. Many thanks Gong Jien!

Chengdu – Spicy Pandas & Giant Earthquakes

Famous Chengdu Hot Pot ... a Cauldron of Chilies!

I may sound like a broken record (or a broken DVD) but my oh my how times have changed. When my brother and I first visited Chengdu in Sichuan province two decades ago, the city was early in its transformation from a culturally rich Chinese city to one with a strong western flavor (albeit spicy). At that time bicycles far outnumbered cars and the early morning rush to work was a pump fest of thighs pedaling across the metropolis.

Today, cars are the dominant mode of transport and the leg powered bikes have been for the most part replaced by electronic versions.

One thing that has not changed though is the thick cloud of haze that covers the city 24 hours a day. The air pollution in Chengdu is horrible… and has been exacerbated by the ever increasing number of fossil fuel guzzling cars.

Chengdu (population 14 million or so when surrounding areas are included) is famous for its fiery hot spicy cuisine, Giant Pandas and  most recently the massive earthquake of 2008 that killed close to 100,000 people, and  left over 4 million people homeless. The epicenter was a short 80 km north of the city. I visited the quake zone not long after the disaster and was overwhelmed by the devastation. Since 2008 over 140 billion dollars has been spent on reconstruction and restoration.

The quake not only affected the lives of an enormous number of people but it also affected the Giant Pandas of Wolong Nature Reserve. A few of the Giant Pandas at the Wolong Breeding Center escaped after the earthquake when their pens were damaged… and one Panda was killed when a wall collapsed and crushed her.

The Giant Pandas from Wolong have been relocated to the Bifengxia Panda Base, in a mountainous region of Sichuan province about an hour’s drive from Chengdu. If you want to see Pandas one of the Panda Bases is the best place to go. Next stop Bifengxia!

Tibetchina - Random Thoughts

We talk a lot about endangered species of wildlife (like Asiatic Lions, Tigers and Giant Pandas) but one rarely hears about endangered languages and cultures. Although I have only spent a week in Tibet, when I look around me I see a rich culture on a pathway to extinction.  Why?

For those of us who have been blessed to live in free countries, perhaps it is hard to believe but it is illegal to display the Tibetan flag anywhere in the country and it is also illegal to possess or display any photos of the 14th Dalai Lama, the DL that is alive today and living in exile in Dharamsala, India. The Dalai Lama is both the religious and political leader of Tibet … but has not been in Tibet since 1959.

Religion, ‘Buddhism’ is integral to Tibetan society and the Chinese government has decided that they will be the ones to select high ranking lamas (religious leaders) rather than the Tibetans themselves. A prime example is the selection of the 11th Panchen Lama (you can think of the Panchen Lama as 2nd in line in terms of the leadership hierarchy in Tibet – with the Dalai Lama at the top). The selection for the next Panchen Lama made by the Dalai Lama was turned down by the Chinese government and their selection was put in place. The selection made by the Dalai Lama was detained by Chinese authorities and has not been seen in public since 1995.

Tibetan is no longer being taught in schools (the language of instruction in Tibet is Mandarin, the official language of China).  The language issue is a double edged sword… if young Tibetans only speak Tibetan they limit their educational and career opportunities drastically (exams for post-secondary education for example are all in Chinese not Tibetan).

There are some that say (including the Chinese government) that Tibetans have largely benefited from government policies and a booming Tibetan economy in recent years but one cannot deny
the general poor treatment of Tibetans, inequalities in the education and employment system, and the growing Chinese presence in Tibet. There are a whopping 1. 35 billion people in China and although China is BIG … the human population does move around and settle in new areas.

Although guide books will tell you that the majority of people living in the cities of the Tibetan Autonomous Region are ‘Tibetans’ if you look around in the cities of Lhasa and Xigatse that does not seem to be the case. It would seem that Tibetans are becoming a minority in their own ‘Autonomous Region’!

And I have to say it was bizarre to walk around the larger Tibetan towns and cities. For example when you walk anywhere in the Tibetan centre of Lhasa, you can’t walk for long before seeing half a dozen Chinese police or military. An odd feeling.

101 Ways Tibetan Buddhists Pray

The Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet - the historic winter residence of the Dalai Lama

Growing up in a Catholic household I learned to pray in what I thought was the ‘traditional way’ – prayers and singing at Church on Sunday, and kneeling to say bedtime prayers. Little did I know that Buddhists were way ahead in terms of the number of ways to pray.

Buddhism is one of the world’s great religions … and some would say it is both a religion and a philosophy. Buddhism, and its associated traditions, beliefs, and practices, is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama or Buddha (the Awakened One). The basic concept is that we should live our lives with compassion… respect all life and don’t succumb to the pressures of evil.

Tibetan Buddhists don’t pray to Buddha (or to God) per se … their praying is more a combination of meditation and devotion. Tibetan Buddhists pray a lot and do so by chanting mantras, setting up prayer flags, spinning prayer wheels (water wheels, hand-held wheels, huge wheels) and also through devotional prostration.

Tibetan Buddhist pilgrims from across Tibet and neighboring regions do pilgrimages to Monasteries to pray and express their gratitude for the Buddha's Teachings.

I visited a large number of Monasteries some with just a few monks and visitors … while others had hundreds of Monks and thousands of visitors!

The highlight for me was without a doubt the Potala Palace. I was first introduced to the mystique of Tibet by a photo taken by Galen Rowell, an American National Geographic photographer in the 70s. His image of a rainbow above the Potala Palace struck me as outstanding… and it was partly due to this image that I had a keen interest in one day visiting the famous winter residence of the Dalai Lama (the summer residence is a short three kilometres away). The Potala Palace (located at an altitude of over 3650m) is the highest ancient palace in the world.


Who then is the Dalai Lama? (A name synonymous with Buddhism in Tibet, and other parts of the world). The Dalai Lama, a high lama in the "Yellow Hat" sect of Tibetan Buddhism, is thought of as the latest reincarnation of a series of spiritual leaders who have chosen to be reborn in order to enlighten others. The 14th Dalai Lama (the one alive today) has been in exile since the invasion (or liberation in the words of China) of Tibet in 1959.

The Dalai Lamas were religious leaders and teachers… and it was the 5th Dalai Lama who added the political leadership role in addition to the religious role to the duties of the Dalai Lama.
Personally I do find Buddhism fascinating and am particularly impressed with the commitment and reverence for all life on Earth. If all religions of the world also had this perspective I think we would have a healthier planet, and could look foreward to a healthier future for generations yet to come.