“Traditional Chinese medicine” or TCM is creating a black market through inhumane means for endangered animal substances to be used as cures for diseases with little to no scientific evidence of their effectiveness. Why is this still rampant in a world where modern medicine is effective and proven? Why are endangered animal substances being collected in inhumane methods and still sought after? Through our research we have found that animal substances deriving from Tigers, Asiatic black bears, North American black bears, African rhinoceros, including many other endangered and non-endangered animals are being used to treat various diseases including cancer. These animal substances are being collected through poaching where many of the animals are having specific body parts removed with no euthanizing methods being followed up and the animal is left to die from the extractions. Many of the animal substances are being farmed illegally, namely tigers and Asiatic black bears. We have also found that there has been very little research done in regards to the effectiveness of these animal substances as treatments for the diseases they are meant to treat while the herbal aspect of TCM has undergone more research for effectiveness. We can conclude that TCM is reducing the populations of endangered species and creating dangerous black markets with actors involving poachers in Africa, TCM specialists purchasing these substances mostly in China, users of TCM mostly consisting in China but also globally, poachers and smugglers in North America for bear bladders and bile. Lack of education and public knowledge of the damage being done as well as the lack of evidence of effectiveness of these substances is driving the market, creating hugely inflated prices and creating jobs for poachers where these animals reside. Through education and public awareness performed through social media, exposure, and petitioning to Chinese governments as well as those governments where poachers exist we believe we can reduce the popularity of endangered animal substances in TCM.