• Tambako the Jaguar/flickr
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    3. TIGER POACHING FOR FUR, SKIN AND OTHER PARTS

    Tigers have long been one of the most poached animals on Earth. They are desired not only for their unique pelts, but also for many of their other parts, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine. Demand for the latter has actually increased in recent years. As China’s economy grows and its citizens become more affluent, access to the rare “medicine” increases. There is also an increasing cultural pride that has fueled a resurgence in the traditional medicine that uses tiger bones, eyes, teeth, whiskers and more to treat a variety of ailments. The Chinese government officially bans these uses of tiger parts, but the laws are not always strictly enforced. (Tigers in Crisis)