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Unfortunately, in some traditions, the uses of animal parts in
medicine, stretches back
thousands of years. Bear gallbladders have recently acquired the mistaken image
of a magical "cure-all" and one of the hottest items in the Asian search for
better health and longevity. It is estimated that 90% of the bear gallbladders,
removed from the dwindling genus, end up in South Korea "treating" such ailments
as diabetes, liver and sexual disorders and heart conditions. A single
gallbladder, while fetching the poacher only a few hundred dollars, can retail
for thousands of dollars in the open marketplace. Until recent efforts to crack
down on the illegal use of bear parts, Korean restaurants served a dish of
braised bear paw as an aphrodisiac and health tonic. Poachers believe that when
the bear is afraid or hungry, the gallbladder becomes enlarged, which leads to
tales of purposely wounding bears and letting it die slowly to enhance potential
profits.
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