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Moon Bear Heaven
Wrestling crocodiles, manhandling deadly snakes and getting close to some of the world's most dangerous species are the hallmarks of only one naturalist.
It is, of course, Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin, and it is his inimitable style that has made him a household name among 200 million viewers in 120 countries worldwide. Earlier this month, during his first visit to China, another side of Irwin, a soft, reflective one was glimpsed, when he had a close encounter of a gentle kind with a rescued farm bear. "I will never forget Rupert the bear's face trying to nuzzle me from his enclosure," said Irwin in an exclusive interview with China Daily. The real-life Crocodile Dundee rose to fame with his unique way of introducing wildlife to the general public. Scratch the surface of this natural showman and the real driving force beneath becomes evident. Greater understanding and respect by man for the natural world are his passions. Conservation and environmental protection his raison d'etre. Filming for his latest series "New Breed of Vets" for Animal Planet, part of the Discovery Channel, brought him to a rural backwater in the heart of Sichuan Province in Southwest China. A 50-minute drive from the provincial capital Chengdu, the area is home to a unique project, not only to China, but Asia. Here along an unmade track, cutting through low-lying farmland, is the largest single collection of 157 Moon Bears, so-called because of the cream coloured flash, resembling an upturned new moon, across their chests. These are not just any old Moon Bears, these are the lucky ones, rescued from a tortuous existence on bear farms thanks to the combined efforts of the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF), a Hong Kong and UK based charity, the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the Sichuan Forestry Department. A landmark agreement, the first between the Chinese Government and an outside NGO, signed in 2000, pledged to bring to an end the practice of bear farming. Bear bile has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for thousands of years. It is highly prized as a cure for a range of complaints such as colon cancer, primary cirrhosis, fever, conjunctivitis and hepatitis C. It was recognition that the Moon Bear faced possible extinction if steps were not taken to halt illegal hunting - bears were being slaughtered for their 3 ounce gall bladder and the valuable "liquid gold" it contains - that prompted various countries in Asia to find an alternative way to satisfy market demand for bear bile without wiping out a species. When a method of extracting bile from captive animals was discovered, the practice of bear farming was adopted in various parts of Asia, including China. But today, many TCM practitioners say it is unnecessary and easily replaced by over 50 effective herbs, as well as a synthetic form of the bile acid - ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). Vets in action Irwin and his crew trailed AAF's veterinary director, Dr Gail Cochrane, to Sichuan where she and a colleague, Austrian Kati Loeffler - described by Irwin as "the best bear vets in the world" - were operating on the latest arrivals at the Moon Bear Rescue Centre. Years of confinement and the actual process of "milking" bears for their bile, causes a myriad of problems. And every rescued bear requires surgery to remove their ravaged gall bladders and repair damaged organs. "New Breed of Vets" is looking at vets around the world working on outstanding projects and using cutting edge techniques, pushing boundaries in the animal kingdom, which in turn are impacting human medical science as well. Cochrane, 40, originally from Irvine, Scotland, operates on all the rescued bears. Sometimes she spends up to 10 or 12 consecutive days in the operating theatre. Her dedication is absolute. "She was still operating when she was eight months pregnant," quipped a colleague. A graduate of Glasgow University, she has lived in Hong Kong for 15 years, her early years spent with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and then Kadoorie Farm, a conservation facility. Her work with the Moon Bears is providing valuable research data on bears generally. "We are learning so much from them. How they recover and what problems they have. We are gaining evidence all the time. They have an amazing constitution and resistance to disease. It's astonishing they live through what they do." Referring to the many hours of surgery most of the animals require to get them "free of pain and functioning again," she added: "They are incredibly tough creatures. They can withstand months and months of this. If this type of procedure was done to a dog it would just not survive." Up close Irwin has known about the Moon Bear centre for some years and has supported its work through donations of veterinary supplies and equipment through the Steve Irwin Conservation Foundation, but this month was the Australian's first personal visit. It had a profound impact on him. "What an inspirational experience for me to witness first hand the tremendous commitment and dedication by Jill Robinson (AAF founder and CEO), Dr Cochrane and all the team at the centre. "The bears deserve our help and compassion and there is not a better organization on this planet to take up the challenge." Asked about the general impressions he gained of China during his brief trip, Irwin said: "I was overwhelmed at the tremendous progress that's been made... setting a great example to the rest of the world. The efficiency of the country was beyond my expectations." He plans to visit the Rescue Centre again and contribute in some way to its work. "I would like to have an ongoing role in helping the Bear Centre and ultimately the survival of Asia's bears. "The television series, 'New Breed of Vets,' will continue to promote the invaluable work that Animals Asia is doing. It will reach hundreds of millions of people worldwide for many years to come." As for the bears themselves, and based on his knowledge of wildlife, Irwin was astonished at their resilience. "Witnessing the day-long intensive surgical procedures that are required to repair the horrific damage done to their internal organs proved to me these bears have a tremendous will to survive... considering the hardship and abuse they have suffered over such a long period of time. I was amazed at their rapid recovery and rehabilitation." Fundamental to the work of the Moon Bear Centre is raising public awareness. An education village opened this year and prearranged group visits, particularly by school and university students, have begun. Irwin acknowledged the problems and difficulties faced by countries such as China on the conservation and environment front. "Animal welfare in developing countries is always a problem. Most families don't have enough money to feed themselves so understandably animal welfare is not high on the priority list. "In most of these countries we have to rely on the compassion of local people to help animals in need. The single most important thing we can do is to educate people not to purchase, eat, trade in, or farm any wildlife," said Irwin. Asked what message he would like to give to the young people of China, he replied: "Please keep a place in your heart for wildlife and you will always be enriched! Our next generation should make sure that the practice of bear bile farming is abolished forever." Irwin said one of the things which impressed him most during his visit was, "The politeness and friendliness of the Chinese people." As so much in life is often interconnected - for every action, there is a reaction - so too the struggle to save these magnificent creatures has transformed the lives of dozens of impoverished rural families locally. Currently 70 people, aged 20 to 65, are employed at the centre. Some live in the nearby village, under Longqiao Township, others in Chengdu. Impacting people Working there has transformed their lives, and not only materially. Wu Guojian, 28, has been a bear worker at the sanctuary for two-and-a-half years. When he first started working at the centre he thought Robinson and her team "were mad - looking after bears, loving them and the dogs and cats on site." But today Wu not only "loves his work," he looks forward to going home and being greeted by his own dogs! "I first joined for the money. But I've gradually come to understand what it's all about. Some people ask how the centre generates income. 'Do we sell bear bile?' It's difficult for me to explain that I get pleasure from elsewhere, not from making a profit." The centre runs wholly on funds and goods donated by individual sponsors and companies. Operating costs run at around US$80,000 a month. And making sure funds keep coming in is an endless struggle for Robinson who says she "worries about donor fatigue." Fundraisers are an essential part of the project and plans are afoot for a benefit on April 16 at the Shamrock Bar and Restaurant in Chengdu. With many major companies booked to attend, including Bayer Healthcare, Movado Watches and the American and British Chambers of Commerce, it is hoped the evening will be a money-spinner, as well as a chance to raise awareness. Bayer, who have a base in Chengdu, now provide all of the antibiotics and worming tablets the bears need for free. "They have done a fantastic job helping us to get these bears on the road to recovery," said Robinson. In the past the antibiotics alone made a great dent in the centre's budget, with all new arrivals needing extended courses of treatment. All the 157 rescued bears come from farms AAF makes contact with in a variety of ways. An approach is made and a price negotiated with the farmer for all his animals and licence. Once that licence is surrendered the Sichuan government ensures that no new one is issued in its place. The 46 arrivals came from farms in Ziyang and Dujiangyan, Sichuan. Nationwide, no new licences are being granted for bear farms. 2008 goals At the beginning of the year, the "Madonna of Asia" Karen Mok stated that with the backing of other celebrities such as Jackie Chan and Chow Yun Fat - star of "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" - she was committed to help ending bear farming by the time of the Beijing Olympics in 2008. This is Robinson's hard sought-after goal - to bring an end to all bear farming. There are still more than 200 farms in China, holding around 7,000 bears, according to the last official figures released in 1999. The Moon Bear Rescue Centre plans to take in 100 more bears by September this year. And by the time it is completed, Robinson wants it to house up to a thousand, something she dearly hopes to see in her lifetime. "We're moving ever closer to the end of this industry," she says. "Everyone here feels it - Westerners and Chinese alike." In 1996 the government banned the use of permanently implanted steel catheters into the bears' gall bladders, held in place by heavy metal jackets, as part of moves to improve conditions in existing bear farms. But the alternative free-drip method involving a hole sculpted into the animal's abdomen, caused a number of practical problems for the bear farmers. Four of the February arrivals provided disturbing evidence that some farmers were getting around government regulations by using a clear plastic catheter stapled in place. Hard for inspectors to spot on a bear covered with fur. "It's up to us to get as many officials as possible to visit the centre and see the evidence," says Robinson. Official backing has been invaluable to the success of the centre. "You couldn't buy that kind of help," Robinson says of the local Sichuan authorities. "And whereas previously they might have thought the industry was responsible and served a demand for bile, well, they've now changed their minds." Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) the Asiatic black bear - to give them their proper name, is listed in Appendix I, the most critical category of endangerment. For more information, see www.animal,asia.org.
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