China Criticised For 'tiger Wine'

[Tokis-Phoenix]

"China has come under fire for allowing tigers to be bred for the production of so-called "tiger bone wine".

The drink is reportedly made by steeping tiger carcasses in rice wine. Those who drink the wine believe it makes them strong.

Chinese delegates at the International Tiger Symposium in Nepal are arguing for the lifting of a current ban on the trade in tiger bones and skins.

But other Asian nations with threatened tiger populations want the ban to stay";

http/news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6566507.stm




I have nothing against people breeding tigers in captivity, afterall, if tigers go extinct in the wild (which in a lot of places in the world where wild tigers exist, is not an unlikely prospect) captive bred tigers may offer the only hope of future survival for such big cats.

But the main reason why i am against "tiger bone wine" is because it fuels the beliefs that consuming such animals makes you strong/clever/gives you more sexual energy etc etc. These beliefs are what fuel the poaching problem and illegal trade in tiger parts for chinese medicines, which is primarily what is driving these magnificent cats to extinction in so many places.

However bans on trade in tiger parts do not actually always help tigers. On the one hand, if they weren't there poaching would be sure to increase, however by being there it means there is less suply for the demand in tiger parts and thus people pay the poachers much more to obtain their wanted parts because they are less available. This inevitably incourages more people to take up poaching because people are getting paid more for it, and so people which would otherwise have not considered poaching tigers, are now persuaded to take up poaching because of the money involved. In a vilage in India where people are living in poverty, 50,000 rupee's for a tiger kill is a life changing amount of money to have.
So the problem continues...Without the ban on trade in tiger parts, poaching would be sure to increase, but with the ban, it doesn't stop people poaching tigers either.

In my opinion, one of the few ways i can think of to help tackle the issue is to tackle the chinese people's beliefs on tiger part medicines. Tigers are also not the only problem- IMHO the chinese seem to be attracted to consuming most animals which are threatened or endangered in their medicines.


What are your opinions on the tiger problem in general?

 

[Danno]

I think that it is there culture and power to them. As long as they aren't taking tigers out of the wild it would be ok.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

I think that it is there culture and power to them. As long as they aren't taking tigers out of the wild it would be ok.

But its fueling beliefs that consuming tigers makes you strong, which is inevitably fueling the illegal trade in tiger parts for chinese medicines which is killing wild tigers. So essentially its supporting the killing/taking of wild tigers in the wild.

 

[for_my_fish]

if they can successfully 'farm' tigers so as to wipe out the profits of the poaches theres posibly an ironic way in securing the tigers future on the planet.

Seem the only thing we let live is what we can eat or make money from

 

[Lynden]

Some of China's 'traditions' ought to be wiped away permanently (especially the practice of harvesting the fins of living sharks) in my opinion. Many of them seem like rediculous, archaic beliefs with no scientific base to boot. Grow up, China.

However, as long as the tigers are being treated well while growing up in these farms (and their lives being ended painlessly), I would welcome the beginning of these 'tiger farms' with open arms. Just look what it did for crocs. We probably owe the continuation of at least one species of crocodilian to 'crocodile farms' and the funding, et cetera that they have provided.

-Lynden

 

[Amunet]

Although I wish people would stop with silly beliefs... it won't ever happen.
Even though I don't like it, I would much prefer if the parts were coming from tiger farms instead of tigers in the wild.

 

[-germ-]

Its awful but to be expected, just look at bear bile and how its harvested.....
The culture will develop (or deteriorate, depending on your viewpoint) over time. Many traditional beliefs/practices in eastern asia are dying off extremely quickly. Often to be exchanged for their western counterparts. When paradoxically those in Britain, America seem to find a certain chic in rapidly abandoned Oriental practice Feng Shui, Martial Arts etc. Its just another spoke in the neverending wheel of human development which seems to me to have its founding ideals in ignorance, arrogance and aggression. But i'm a little off topic now....
Personally i'd rather rare or dying species were kept alive via better protection in the wild and/or their preservation through sound investment from charities/animal protection groups and environmentally responsible (ie. green vote grabbing) governments.
Thats probably too much to expect.
C'est la vie

 

[OohFeeshy]

I don't think there's anything wrong as per se with the process etc, after all, you can't complain about using a tiger when you eat meat, wear leather etc. Same sort of morals, it's only the fact that we see tigers as cute, endangered wild animals and thus completely different to cows, sheep, pigs and the like. I agree with Tokis though- ban the trade and the black market will flourish. It's certainly a vicious circle- captive tigers are either in zoos or kept by individuals (where conditions aren't always great and indeed, they could well be used for parts), wild tigers are poached to near extinction.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Hm, would have nothing against people eating tigers or using their parts if;
a. All tigers consumed were captive bred ones raised in good conditions and slaughtered in a humane manner.
b. A certain percentage of the money obtained by the profits made by farming the tigers was put towards wild tiger conservation.
c. People were not incouraged to consume the tigers for supposed health or spiritual benefets etc etc. If the above two factors were take into consideration and the process worked, then i would much prefer people to eat tigers for the taste of the meat rather than because they have some Dark Age belief that it will make them stronger or help them perform better in bed etc .

Right now though, i can just see this tiger farming thing turning into a cruel way to line the pockets of the rich and immoral. Asia already has bear bile farming, which is a terrible form of farming- there is little to comfort me that china will farm tigers in a much more humane manner, i can already imagine the crampt cages and parasite ridden animals going insane from their bland and stressful environments etc.
Its not exactly like China has a great reputation for wildlife conservation and care for the environment right now. Panda's are only treated well as they have acheived fame around the world, China looks after them for its image.

 

[OohFeeshy]

Its not exactly like China has a great reputation for wildlife conservation and care for the environment right now. Panda's are only treated well as they have acheived fame around the world, China looks after them for its image.

Indeed- I've been to Beijing zoo and the fact that the pandas were the best kept doesn't make their situation there any better than it is...