After international outcry and pressure applied by environmentalists, China's State Council temporarily reinstated "a ban on the use of rhinoceros horn and tiger bones in medicine." Initially, wildlife advocates inferred the main reason for repealing the ban was to help the traditional-medicine industry. Although, most traditional doctors use herbal remedies, rather than animal parts. If the ban were to remain in place, then the efforts to save the fewer than 30,000 wild rhinos and 3,900 tigers would have been greatly hindered. China's reversal is important to protect rhinos and tigers, but as I was reading the article I noticed that there was no mention of the animals being used as "antiques", or cultural objects. China, and other countries involved in illegal animal trafficking, have to be held accountable for there part in environmental degradation. Animals are an important part of the worlds ecosystem and must be protected in balance with respecting different cultures.
Image taken by Fred Dufour.
Link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/12/world/asia/china-rhino-tiger-ban.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fasia&action=click&contentCollection=asia®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront
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