Thirteen black bears were recovering at a rescue center in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, after crooks damaged their gall bladders to remove bile used in many traditional Chinese medicines.

A black bear was saved after crooks damaged its gall bladders to remove bile used in many traditional Chinese medicines.

Protection officers found the animals on a farm in Dujiangyan, with an investigation now under way to test all black bears kept in the province for evidence of abuse.

Criminals force plastic pipes into the animal's gall bladder to take the bile, which will then be sold to medical practitioners.

(China Daily February 16, 2009)