Not so Black and White: Panda Conservation, Bile Farming and the Conflict between Cultural Traditions and Modern Values in China

Abstract

This study examines the conservation of bears in China and compares two distinct cultural attitudes--the traditional utilitarian view of animals as resources to be used in service to humans, and the emerging view that emphasizes welfare and conservation and uses media and citizen activism to highlight and discuss these issues. The main question addressed is whether or not the traditional utilitarian view of animals is starting to change into a view that incorporates ideas about animal welfare and wildlife conservation. The medicinal use of bile from the Asiatic Black Bear (<italic>Ursus Thibetanus</italic>) and the conservation of the Giant Panda (<italic>Ailuropoda melanoleuca</italic>) are used as case studies to examine this question.