SKAGIT COUNTY, Wash. — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) says a woman in Skagit County was sentenced on August 25 for illegally trafficking black bear body parts.
Investigators found that in late 2021, 54-year-old Yan L. Li illegally bought thirteen gall bladders, six livers, twenty-four paws with claws still attached, as well as whole waterfowl, according to WDFW.
She was sentenced to 45 days of confinement and an $1,800 fine, WDFW said in a release.
Officials say Li is a restaurant owner in Skagit County and she purchased the body parts on the black market, with prices ranging from $100 to $200 locally.
The parts can then be sold in overseas markets for thousands of dollars, WDFW says.
“The perceived medicinal value creates an increased demand for the species and their body parts, which threaten the long-term survivability of a population by overharvesting,” WDFW Police Captain Brad Rhoden said. “Beyond being illegal, it’s highly concerning to unethically waste black bears, or any wildlife for that matter, for nothing more than a few body parts being sold on the black market.”
Li was also cited for health code violations in 2020 after deceased waterfowl were found outside her restaurant, according to a WDFW release.
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