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A remedy for impotence, liver disease, hangovers and more, bear bile is highly valued in Chinese medicine.

Near Hanoi, Vietnam, a sedated Asiatic black bear is illegally pumped for bile, one of thousands of bears kept for this purpose throughout Asia. First, the bear is drugged. When it is unconscious or just partly conscious, the extractors use an ultrasound machine to find the gall bladder. They insert a long needle, attach a tube and pump 100-150cc of bile into a bottle. The whole process takes up to 20 minutes. 'The bear looked almost human, so vulnerable,' says Mark. 'The market for bile is strong, and with little government enforcement of the law, this practice is pretty widespread across Vietnam. Bile is often openly advertised by the side of the road.'