Plaid Cymru Euro-MP and Vice President Jill Evans is backing a campaign in the European Parliament to end the cruel slaying of endangered Chinese "moon bears" also known as Asiatic Black Bears.

In spite of the fact that there are fewer and fewer of these bears in existence they continue to be farmed in some parts of China for bile used in traditional medicines even though natural alternatives exist.

Now the all-Wales MEP is backing a resolution in the European Parliament that calls on the Chinese government to ban the breeding of bears on farms and to phase out bear farming all together before the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Jill Evans commented:

"I'm giving my full support to this campaign to end the unnecessary suffering of these rare animals. There really is no need at all for these bears to be farmed for their bile when natural alternatives exist.

Hopefully, pressure from Europe will persuade the Chinese government to outlaw this practice before the Beijing Olympics in three years time.

This is needless cruelty and it must stop."

Ends.

Notes

* Asiatic Black Bears are known as moon bears due to the coloured crescent shape on their chests

* They weigh up to 200 kgs and can be up to six feet tall

* There are fewer than 25,000 left in the wild.

* Over 7000 Asiatic Black bears are currently kept in farm conditions for the production of bile.

* The bears are generally kept in small cages where they are unable to stand at full height

* 40 bear farms have been closed since 2000 with the bears now cared for by the Animals Asia Foundation

* There are over 50 accepted naturally occurring alternatives to bear bile which could be used by traditional medical practitioners