INTERNATIONAL-TRADE IN BEAR GALL BLADDERS - FORENSIC SOURCE INFERENCE

Fresh and desiccated gall bladders of the Ursidae family (bears) obtai ned as criminal evidence were characterized by analysis of the princip al biliary components, mainly ursodeoxycholyl-taurine, cholyl-taurine and chenodeoxycholyl-taurine using TLC and HPLC. This bile acids profi le appears to be an Ursidae family characteristic. Results show that o f the samples from Asia only 3% were from the Ursidae family and 18% w ere from ''farmed bears.'' Samples seized in the U.S.A. and Canada sho wed that 22.6% and 85% respectively, were from Ursids. The remaining s amples were consistent with bile from the domestic pig (Suidae).