Asian black bear
Five black bear populations, occurring in Kyushu, Shikoku, West-Chugoku, East-Chugoku and Kii areas, were listed as endangered by the Environmental Agency in the Japanese Red Data Book in 1991. Small isolated populations in the Tanzawa and Shimokita areas of mainland Honshū were listed as endangered in 1995. Beyond recognising these populations as endangered, there is still a lack of efficient conservation methods for Japanese black bears.
Animals Asia Foundation
The AAF was founded in 1998 by Jill Robinson, who felt compelled to create the organisation after learning of the plight of the Asiatic black bear known as the “moon bear” because of the yellow crescent on its chest. Moon bears are farmed throughout Asia for their bile, which is used in traditional Chinese medicine. The organization raises awareness of the inhumane methods used in bear bile farming, which involve bears living up to 25 years in small cages, with metal catheters inserted into their abdomens for bile extraction, or even open wounds through which the bile drips. The organization also works "to reduce the demand for bile in Asia by promoting affordable, effective and cruelty free alternatives."