Just one hundred years ago the tiger population was more than 30 times greater than today. There were at least 100,000 of these magnificent big cats living on our planet. But due to illegal trade in parts, poaching and the loss of their habitat the tiger population has been drastically decimated. As a result there are only approximately 3,000 tigers still existing today. The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species has listed tigers as an endangered species.
In an item in the Daily Star, the police in the Chinese port city of Zhanjiang in the southern province of Guangdong, recently reported that over ten tigers were tortured and killed in the country as visual “feasts” to entertain government officials and “fat cat” businessmen. In order to keep them acquiescent while they were being transported, the tigers were tranquilized. But upon their arrival they were carefully checked out to make sure they were alive before the “show” began.
In a raid in March this year, a freshly slain tiger was discovered by police as well as evidence of other killed tigers along with multiple tiger products, according to the Nanfang Daily, the mouthpiece of the provincial Communist Party. Additionally videos were found showing a tiger in a cage being slowly electrocuted prior to being dissected by a butcher. To escape police during the raid, a butcher, who was most likely responsible for killing more than ten tigers, jumped to his death.
But it’s not only this unspeakably inhumane and sick form of entertainment that makes the lives of tigers both in captivity and in the wild exceedingly dangerous. Tiger meat is greatly in demand, and extremely costly. Because it is considered a rare delicacy, business owners may seek to purchase it as very special gifts upon which to bestow on officials. Since tigers are strong and majestic animals their bones are presumed to aid in strengthening the body. Tiger bones have been an essential ingredient used in Chinese medicine for more than a thousand years.
Since the active ingredients in tiger bones are protein and calcium, those that practice Chinese medicine claim that they have anti- inflammatory properties. Also used in Chinese medicine are tiger whiskers, teeth and eyes to treat ailments such as insomnia, malaria, bad skin and meningitis. Although the word “tiger” has been removed from the list of official ingredients, there remains a heavy demand for these products. Tiger products are huge moneymakers. Tiger bones are extremely expensive. Just a little over two pounds of tiger bones are sold for an average of over $2,200. (£1,360)
Although Western medicine has proven beyond a doubt that aspirin produces the same beneficial effects as the Chinese medicine practitioners make preposterous claims from using ingredients made from tiger parts. according to the website, “Tigers in Crisis”. The majority of accomplished Western medical practitioners maintain that there are no curative powers in the claims made by Chinese medicine practitioners in the use of tiger parts to cure illness. Stores selling Chinese medicine in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan, South Korea and European and North American Chinatowns continue an on-going trade in tiger pills, powder, tiger wines.
Killing tigers as a sport to give thrill-seeking wealthy businessmen and officials an exciting side show is cruelty that is beyond unspeakable. The Chinese government must take swift action resulting in serious consequences which may help to put an end to these outrageous and despicable acts of brutality. But what will it take?
What do you think? Share your opinion in a comment.
Jo
- Sources: Tigers in Crisis, the Daily Star, ICUN Red List of Endangered Species
I am sorry I could not read past the first 2 paragraphs. My heart was breaking at such a disgusting, vile “tradition”! The same could be said about the Japanese and the killing of the beautiful massive whales for “research purposes”.
this is horrible and sickening. It saddeens me im with everyone else here this practise needs to be stopped before theres no animals left esp inn the world.
I can make this short and sweet as others have already voiced my exact opinion. This just makes me sick!
Those who care don’t have the power and financial backing to make the changes required for ending the senseless slaughter of endangered species. Those who have the power and financial backing to make the changes are the ones who profit from the senseless slaughter of endangered species.
Guangdong has long been known as the most brutal of places for cats of all species. Those who perpetrated this unspeakable crime, and those who participated, should meet the same fate, by the same methods, as those innocent and beloved beings whose lives they took but whose souls are immortal. May these criminals’ souls be blotted out forever.
Amen jmuhj!
My sentiments exactly!
This is a vicious and cruel group of people. They obviously have no clue as to what endangered means. I cannot deny that when I saw that the butcher of these beautiful animals lost his life, I didn’t feel one bit sorry for him. Educating the youth that these practices and medicines are bad is the only way it will cease.
The trouble is it will take longer to educate them than it will take to guarantee the survival of the tiger in the wild. They are ignorant sh*ts as I far as I am concerned.
If I actually told you what I would like to do to these people it would probably shock you a little bit so I moderated what I said. I have a deep hatred of people who abuse animals for some idiotic, superstitious reason especially, and indeed, for any reason whatsoever.
It would have been appropriate for not just that one idiot but all of the creeps involved to jump to their deaths as well–into a pit filled with wild hungry tigers. No, wait, I wouldn’t want to give the poor tigers indigestion.
Dee!
Just like “canned” hunting! It drives me out of my mind! And it’s rampant here in Florida.
I love your big cat game. To change the subject slightly- after our “wonderful” congress took the wording out of a bill which then re-funded USDA meat inspectors to inspect horsemeat meant for human consumption, slaughter plants were about to open all over the country.
I purchased a T-shirt (for fund raising purposes) that reads, “Save a horse, eat a politician” which of course got people asking what that meant. Through grassroot participation and with the help of many animal right’s organizations and several “humane” folks in congress we got that wording removed from the bill. So at least until the coming budget year 2015- our horses are safe from slaughter here in the USA (they still can be shipped outside the country for slaughter).
Perhaps we can come up with a slogan for a T-shirt that may make start making an impact to help our cause to ban declawing…something like “Save a Paw: Don’t Declaw” with one of Ruth’s fabulous graphics.
Thanks Jo, I think someone already does anti declaw T shirts, I saw some a while ago but didn’t keep the link as it would be pointless here where vets never have declawed. A lot of people haven’t even heard of it. Not many UK people want to get involved either, most of our UK ‘troops’ have fallen by the wayside, but there are many more Americans educating now than there was 5/6 years ago and that’s as it should be.
Some of my posters are being shared all over facebook, the ballerina one has been shared around a hundred times, I’m so pleased and I think it proves that sometimes simple pictures actually do speak louder than words!
Jo, I’m crazed in general by what is referred to as the “sport” of hunting. I’m not far from the National Forest and have to drive that way to get to the east coast. I’m disgusted by the things I’ve seen and heard about what goes on there, especially with the hunting dogs. When hunting season is done, the dogs are just abandoned there or shot. The idiot hunters just go and get a new batch of dogs for the next season.
I’m aware that the horses have a small reprieve right now. But, heaven knows what’s coming. It’s big business to export too.
Thanks for the t-shirt idea. I have several in support of TNR, but need some for our other causes. I like Vista Print because you can create the messages that you want.
I may be seen wearing, ” Save cats. Burn down a shelter”
Sometimes, I wonder how much more world insanity my heart and brain can take. This is horible.
It’s too bad the tigers were sedated. Cowards! I think a big cat game of “Let’s Gut a Government Official” would have been far more entertaining.
If I had my way and could get away with it, I would feed these businessmen and these corrupt officials to the tigers and make sure the tigers were not sedated and that they were hungry.
This is terrible! We seem to hear more and more about the abuse and killing of wild animals these days, so much about tigers lately.
It makes me feel angry and helpless and what those of us who care can do for cats is only scratching the surface.
I wish more people would open their eyes to all this and try to DO something about it before it’s too late.
Of course it IS too late for many animals, of which each and every one was robbed of the life they were born for.
Having studied the tiger and read about the tiger for a very long time I feel convinced that nothing will change until the tiger is extinct in the wild and then the sad human will try and reintroduce the tiger into the wild. It is totally mad behaviour!
Of course, I have a deep and angry hatred for the Chinese individuals who arranged the slaughter of these tigers and for those who watched it and also ate the tigers. This is barbaric nonsense. Chinese medicine is idiotic. It may be ancient but being ancient does not make it good. In fact, in respect of medicine the older it is the worse it is. That is common sense because technology and science has advanced medicine over the millennia. It is just all about pure ignorance, insecurity, arrogance, selfishness and stupidity that keeps the trade in tiger parts alive and healthy.
A great deal more needs to be done to stop it but the Chinese authorities are as corrupt as any in the world and we know it and the Chinese government knows it and so this sort of activity will never stop until there are no tigers left in the wild to kill. Then we will have to be content with looking at tigers in cages, of which, incidentally, there are thousands in China, bred for the sole purpose of being killed and ground down into tiger bone wine. Pathetic isn’t it? And extremely sad.
Exactly – usually if something is ancient – or if it exists simply by force of tradition then it is most likely a load of effin crap that should be abolished right away.
The world is still a terribly superstitious place piled up on top of massive ignorance and insecurity and it makes me thoroughly annoyed!
Ancient Chinese medicine is a terribly destructive force for wildlife and if I had my way I’d ban the whole shebang, lock stock and barrel. Then I’d bang up every single person who tried to sell the horrible stuff.