All across China, Asiatic black bears, known as "Moon Bears" because of the beautiful golden crescent on their chest, are imprisoned for more than 20 years in tiny metal cages no bigger than their bodies. The bears live a life of torture and die a slow agonizing death because of the market for the bile from their gall bladders, which is used in traditional medicine.

The Oakland Zoo participates in the Hornbill Nest Adoption Project through Thailand's Hornbill Research Foundation, which is led by Dr. Pilai Poonswand. Funding sent to this project helps the foundation collect data on the biological and ecological aspects of these birds, including their important ecological role in dispersing seeds throughout the forest. It is said that the forests need the hornbill as much as the hornbills need the forests!

As recently as 50 years ago, eight tiger subspecies roamed throughout Asia. Now only five remain. Human pressures from hunting and habitat destruction exterminated the Balinese, Caspian, and Javan tigers in this century.

The Malayan Sun Bear is the world’s smallest bear. Originally widespread through Southeast Asia, Borneo is now one of the few remaining strongholds of this charismatic jungle-dependent mammal.