India says Chinese medicine fuels tiger poaching

[Mrudul Godbole]

By C.K. Nayak, Reuters

September 17, 2009
NEW DELHI - Talks between India and China to try to save the endangered tiger failed to make much progress, India's environment minister said on Thursday.

The use of tiger parts in Chinese medicine was encouraging the poaching of India's tigers, Jairam Ramesh told reporters.

China was also operating tiger farms in violation of international agreements, which stimulated demand, he said.

Ramesh, speaking after a visit to China, said breeding tigers in captivity went against the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

"There are about 4,000 tigers bred in captivity in China. We had discussions with China on this but there is not much success," he said.

"China is party to CITES. On the CITES, captive breeding of tigers is not allowed."

Illegal poaching and loss of natural habitat have caused India's tiger population to plummet in recent decades, even in large swathes of land protected as tiger reserves.

Conservationists say the trade in skin and bones is booming to countries such as China, which has banned the use of tiger parts in medicine but where everything from fur, whiskers, eyeballs, to bones, are still used.

"This is the first time the whole issue of tiger trade and tiger poaching is being discussed in a political forum," said Belinda Wright, director of the Wildlife Protection Society of India.

"There's a huge demand coming from China, prices are skyrocketing. India's like a supermarket."

India's latest tiger census counted just 1,411 cats, down from 3,642 in 2002 and around 40,000 a century ago.


Link - http://www.wpsi-india.org/news/17092009.php

[Sabyasachi Patra]

I agree that Chinese medicine is a big scourge. It is also fueled by ignorance and superstition. In India we too find these tiger balm and other such products from china claiming to relieve your pains etc etc.

It is said that killing will only stop if buying stops. However, we know that buying is not likely to stop in the near term. The Chinese have their own designs and won't listen to India. So the only solution is to strengthen our protection, increase patrolling, swift punishment and relocation of villages from our wilderness areas as these villages shelter the poachers and aid and abet in the crime.

Sabyasachi

[Ranbir Mahapatra]

I agree with Sabyasachi. Reasoning out with the Chinese to put a stop to tiger product consumption is futile. Its like India telling Americans to stop consuming beef steaks! Its a cultural issue here.

Unfortunately this is not an isolated incident. Whaling has a similar history. Japan, Iceland, Norway have repeatedly violated and circumvented the anti-whaling laws. Sadly whaling in these countries enjoys strong support from their citizens!

We need to get our priority right...I am getting agitated with our collective impotency to stymie this systematic loot of natural heritage by outside powers!

Wakeup India! Wakeup IFS!!! How about some bite in the Bark???