China may revive trade in rare tiger parts

THE HAGUE (Reuters) - China is considering lifting a ban on
trade in tiger parts, believed to cure anything from rheumatism
to laziness, despite growing fears that the move could wipe out
the endangered big cat.

China told the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES) this week that it would allow trade
in parts from captive-bred tigers if a scientific review proved
the step would reduce poaching and help tigers worldwide.

But conservationists and aging anti practises skin said Beijing&39;s hands, environmental groups
said.

“We have received advice that if we opened hospitals
providing tiger bones from the farms, people would stop going
to the black market,” said Wang Weisheng, director at the
wildlife department of China&39;t help the wild tiger, we will not employ it.”

The evaluation was to start in July but he could not say
how long it might take.

EXTINCTION THREAT

Wildlife trade monitor TRAFFIC and the environmental group
WWF said China&39;s back,” said
Vivek Menon of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

“In India this cannot come at a worse time. We have
declared a national tiger crisis — we are losing more tigers
today to illegal trade than any other previous time,” he said.

The United States also joined efforts to pressure China to
back off from its idea. The assistant secretary for oceans and
environment, Claudia McMurray, said allowing trade would only
fuel more poaching and demand and further endanger the tiger.

Chinese culture believes that nearly every tiger part has
medicinal cure — the claws treat insomnia, the eyeballs cure
epilepsy and malaria, the brain treats laziness and pimples.
The tiger penis is considered a powerful aphrodisiac.

Conservationists urged China to focus its efforts on
promoting medical substitutes such as Viagra and aspirin.

“My age is 71. I suffer a little from rheumatism. I take
aspirin and I&39;s very cheap and effective,” said
CITES delegate Ashok Kumar of the Wildlife Trust of India.

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