British television personality and farmer Jimmy Doherty has successfully rescued five bears from a bile farm in South Korea. The bears were previously kept in confined cages where bile was extracted from their gallbladders using inserted tubes, a practice linked to traditional medicine.

The animals were transported to the United Kingdom, where they were released into a more natural environment. Doherty remarked on the bears’ apparent delight, noting that they experienced grass beneath their feet for the first time since their rescue.

Bile farming is widely criticized by animal welfare organizations due to the distress and health issues it causes the animals. The operation highlights ongoing concerns about the treatment of wildlife used in traditional medicine practices abroad. This rescue effort forms part of broader international attempts to address such issues and improve animal welfare standards globally.