2005 Class Project

Each EWCL Class is charged with selecting, designing, and implementing a conservation campaign that will have tangible benefits to one or more species of imperiled international wildlife, while using the skills they have learned during the leadership and campaign training sessions.

The Class of 2005 chose bears of Southeast Asia as the umbrella topic, then divided into four subgroups in order to launch four independent but complimentary projects to benefit this class of highly imperiled species.

Project Title: The Impact of Bear Bile Farming on Wild Bears in Southeast Asia: Status and Trends


Project Summary:

We are conducting research which examines the impact of bear bile farming on wild bear populations in Southeast Asia. By examining patterns and trends in bear bile farming, wild bear harvests, and the prices for wild and farmed bear products in Southeast Asia, we will document the impact of bear bile farming on the harvest of wild bears in the region. This analysis will inform the policy debate regarding the conservation merits of bear bile farming, as well as anticipated debates regarding the potential farming of tigers and other endangered species.

Project Title: Alternatives to Bear Bile Campaign


Project Summary:

In an effort to promote the short- and long-term conservation of the highly imperiled Malaysian sun, sloth and Asiatic black bear species, the Alternatives to Bear Bile Campaign (ABC) project will creatively combine targeted research, education, and awareness efforts to produce a coordinated and complementary initiative which will produce beneficial results for the targeted bear species. Specifically ABC will address the threat of bear bile usage in Traditional Medicine (TM) by working in partnership with the World Society for Protection of Animals. ABC and WSPA will survey TM practitioners in the U.S. about the treatments that they use for ailments that traditionally have been healed with bear bile. Over 54 herbal alternatives exist and we will be working to identify which ones practitioners actually find effective. Project members will develop and conduct an outreach strategy in order to promote the survey, such as attending TM conferences and networking with key TM contacts in the States to reach out to the larger TM community.

The results of the survey will be compiled into a report used to outreach to the TM community in China in order to encourage their use of alternatives as well.

Project Title: Sun Bear Conservation Awareness Campaign in Southeast Asia


Project Summary:

The sun bear population has been in steady decline across Southeast Asia, and is recognized as a highly endangered species under the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). Accordingly, community-level sun bear conservation education that addresses coexistence with sun bears is critical to their future survival in Southeast Asia. Currently, a number of zoos and not-for-profit organizations are working on the ground in Thailand and Cambodia with conservation education efforts. This project will create sun bear specific educational toolkits to supplement their existing programs. The tool kits will contain a variety of education materials including posters, handouts, reference guides and stickers. These tool kits will allow for targeted sun bear conservation messages and awareness in the communities where there is a need. With Donor support, these education materials will help to enhance sun bear conservation awareness and provide opportunities to reach targeted audiences in the Southeast Asian region where sun bears are present.

Project Title: Saving Sun Bears


Project Summary:

In an effort to promote the short- and long-term conservation of the highly imperiled sun bear species, the Saving Sun Bears (SSB) project will creatively combine targeted research, education, and awareness efforts to produce a coordinated and complimentary initiative which will produce beneficial results for sun bear populations in the wild. Specifically, the EWCL Awareness Group will partner with on-the-ground sun bear specialists ST Wong and Gabriella Frediksson to: 1) Determine the distribution and conservation needs of sun bears in Malaysia; 2) Assist in creating a Malayan Sun Bear Education Center at a community environmental education facility in East Kalimantan, Indonesia; and 3) Create and broadcast a ten-segment "Sun Bear Adventure Journals" series to be broadcast to targeted audiences by project supporters in the United States and Southeast Asia.