The pharmacologically active ingredient contained in bear bile and gallbladders is ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA); bears are the only mammals to produce significant amounts of UDCA. Initially, bile was collected from wild bears which were killed and the gall and its contents cut from the body.

Why is a bear gallbladder valuable?

Bear gallbladders have a very high concentration of what’s called ursodeoxycholic acid in their gallbladders, particularly in the winter. … So there’s one reason why bear gallbladders are so expensive: they have serious medicinal properties, which makes them inherently valuable.

Why is bear gallbladder illegal?

With the rapid decline in Asian bear populations primarily due to demand for bear parts trade, other bear species such as American black bear are targeted to address the demand for bear parts. … Bear gall bladder is illegally sold for non-traditional medicinal purposes.