Eleven of the 28 bears are now dead – every one of them a victim of the free-drip method of bile extraction, touted as humane by the farmers (and some officials), every one of them suffering indescribable pain for so, so long. 

All of these 11 bears were riddled with liver cancer – in some of them the foul tumours were as much as 10 per cent of their total body weight. 

Our only consolation is that their pain has ended.

Witnessing the post-mortems as our vets cut out these vile growths and slice through rotten, putrid flesh, I just cannot come to terms with the fact that these animals can live through so much trauma – both mentally and physically. Any other animal would surely have succumbed long ago. 

It’s also utterly mind-boggling that people willingly consume the putrid bile that drains from these pain-wracked, poisoned bodies.

One person that agrees is a local Chinese pathologist who has been examining the cancers too. Maybe one day this shocking evidence we’re collecting will be a turning point and I continue to pray for that day.