Social mechanics of gifting bear bile in Việt Nam

Abstract The illegal wildlife trade is a major cause of global diversity loss. In Southeast Asia and particularly in Việt Nam, the consumption of wildlife products is mostly driven by demand for food and traditional medicine products. One key example of this in Việt Nam is the use of bear bile. While bear bile is one of the most well‐researched illegal wildlife products in Việt Nam, the complexity of consumer motivations within social groups continues to be poorly understood. In this study, we use mixed social science approaches to understand social influence on the consumption of bear bile through gift‐giving practices in Hà Nội, the capital of Việt Nam, and in Nghê An, a province in north central Việt Nam. The study provides a deeper understanding of how bear bile is given and consumed, and updates current information on bear bile usage. The majority of our interviewees had given or received bear bile, with the most common occasion for gift‐giving being during visits between intimate social circles of family and friends. Reasons for giving bear bile within these networks included illnesses, gratitude, drinking among males and ulterior motives. These findings illustrate the importance of one's social group in encouraging the transmission of a behaviour. If bear bile demand reduction campaigns target influential members of a network (often older individuals), and successfully change the behaviour of even one individual, this can have a cascading effect within the chain by neutralizing the behaviours of those influenced by the individual. This may be more effective than attempting to shift the social norms of the broader community. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.