China Losens Ban on Rhino and Tiger Parts

Both Rhinos and Tigers are on the endangered species list, and yet China is allowing these animals to be farmed and used for scientific and cultural purposes. This means that rhino horn and tiger bone could be used medicinally, even though benefits have not been proven, and would be classified as "antiques" allowing for the legal exchange of animal parts.

Since 1993, China has prohibited rhino and tiger trade and this legal move would be a major setback to conservation efforts that have been made in the past 25 years. The World Wildlife Fund commented in the article that "even if restricted to antiques and the use in hospitals, this trade would increase confusion by consumers and law enforcers as to which products are and are not legal, and would likely expand the markets for other tiger and rhino products." Although the law is limited to animals that are farmed, once they are processed, legal products would be indistinguishable from illegal products. As a result, illegal poaching may rise and wild rhinos and tigers will me one step closer to complete extinction.

As a side note, the World Wildlife Fund reported in their The Living Planet Report that "losses in vertebrate species- mammals, fish, birds, amphibians, and reptiles-averaged 60% between 1970 and 2014."



Link to the main article:
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-46027702

Link to the article mentioned in the side note:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46028862