Parts Is Parts

After years of unchecked growth in the hunting of Canadian polar, black, and grizzly bears, lawmakers in Quebec this month will consider what many say is a long-overdue ban on the sale of bear parts. An estimated 21,000 bears were killed in Canada last year to satisfy the enormous demand in Asia for "ingredients" used in traditional medicines. Just how lucrative is the trade? Prices fluctuate wildly, but to give you some idea, we've broken down a polar bear into its component parts to see what's driving the hunt.