At a farm in Vietnam, bile is pumped from a sedated Asiatic black bear, violating national law. Thousands of wild bears have been captured to supply this traditional medicine.
At a farm in Vietnam, bile is pumped from a sedated Asiatic black bear, violating national law. Thousands of wild bears have been captured to supply this traditional medicine.
Mark Leong

The Kingpin

An exposé of the world's most notorious wildlife dealer, his special government friend, and his ambitious new plan

This story appears in the January 2010 issue of National Geographic magazine.

Update: After this article was published, the Malaysian Parliament passed the Wildlife Conservation Act, the first major wildlife law overhaul in the country since 1972.
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