Leopards are Asia’s most trafficked big cat, with more than 4,900 seized from illegal trade in Asia since 2000 – but despite this, new evidence indicates the Government of China is issuing permits to trade and use their bones to produce health tonics and used to produce traditional ‘medicines’
The Chinese Government has permitted a commercial trade in 1,230.5 kg of leopard bone between pharmaceutical companies which represents the bones of more than 100 leopards. Widespread trade in leopard bone wine in China is concerning as it drives poaching and decimates wild populations of leopards and other big cats.
Not satisfied with pushing wild tigers to the brink of extinction, the Chinese ‘tonic wine’ industry is now driving demand for leopard bones. We are appalled that leopard bone products are still being promoted in China. The use of big cat bones to produce ‘tonic’ wines is a major driver of illegal trade and poaching
Today is International Snow Leopard Day, a global observance commemorating the signing of the Bishkek Declaration on the conservation of snow leopards in 2013. The snow leopard has been listed on the IUCN Red List as ‘Endangered’ since 1986, although it recently had its threat status downgraded to ‘Vulnerable'
An updated interactive map of the global illegal trade in rhino horn depicts seizures and thefts of rhino horn as well as convictions relating to rhino horn trade worldwide from 2006 to September 2017, offering insights into a devastating criminal trade that continues to fuel the large-scale slaughter of rhinos
The world’s remaining tigers are living under severe threat of extinction, having lost 93 per cent of their historical range and suffered a population crash of 95 per cent during the past century. The major threat to their continued existence is poaching to meet the high demand in Asia for their parts and derivatives