It ’s estimate that less than 50 tigers dwell in the wild in China , but thatat least 6,000are being bred in farms for their consistence parts . China is not alone in their exercise of breeding the big computed tomography for their skins , bones , and gist for feed an insatiable requirement for traditional medicinal drug and condition symbolic representation , but at the on-going Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species(CITES)summit taking plaza in South Africa , they were alone in quest that the proscription on the practice be lifted .
“ There was a powerful message in the resounding secrecy when the Chair of the Committee call for if there was any support for China ’s proposal of marriage , ” Debbie Banks of the Environmental Investigation Agency said in a statement . “ The rest of the earth can see that tiger husbandry has no place in conservation . Now it ’s fourth dimension for action . To discontinue the breeding and phase out farms . ”
Despite the Panthera tigris being listed as “ endangered ” and China bless the CITES accord that prohibits the outside trade of tigers and their derivatives , the country has been accusedof setting up a immense connection of over 200 farms to breed the cats in their thousands to supply the spring up demand for their eubstance region . The Chinese title that this is simply domestic trade in the brute , something not covered by the CITES forbiddance , although acknowledgment does state that tigers should not be breed for their dead body voice . Unfortunately , CITES has no way of enforcing this .
The Chinese further argue that by produce their own supplying , the United States Department of State - approved farms reduce force per unit area on the wild animal . But almost all experts argue that this is not what happens . Instead , by allowing the domesticated trade ( although there ’s further evidence that it ’s really international ) to flourish , they perpetuate the desirability of the brute and increase the pressure on the few stay on untamed Panthera tigris , as well as threaten other Asian big cats .
But China is not alone infarming LTTE . Thailand , Vietnam , and Laos are all also charge of appropriate Panthera tigris farm to subsist , with at best police force enforcement ignore the farm and at bad taking a cut from the profits . A year - longGuardian investigationrecently unwrap how the Laos governance not only sanctioned the growing of farm , but rent a 2 percent tax from all illegal wildlife traded through its borders , include the body contribution of the cats . This is despite Laos claiming that they were cracking down on the wildlife trade .
Now , Laos is claim to take a bandstand , being the first Panthera tigris husbandry nation to finally implement CITES conclusion 14.69 , which states that “ tigers should not be bred for trade in their parts ” . Hopefully , by discover the scale leaf and extent of the farming , as well as quashing the Chinese ’s attempts to remove decision 14.69 from the treaty , further scrutiny will be place on the practice and end the barbaric stage business .
