On 29th October 2018 it was announced that China will reverse the 25 year ban in the use of rhino horn and tiger bones from captive animals for scientific, medical and cultural use.

Rhino horn and tiger bone are highly valued in Chinese medicine as being miracle cures for everything from hangovers to fevers to cancer despite there being absolutely no scientific proof to the claims. Rhino horn is made of keratin, the same as our hair and nails.

Although the ban has only been lifted on the trade of captive rhinos and tigers, we know from history that so called “legal” trades allow the illegal trade to infiltrate the market, as it is very difficult to ascertain the origins of the animal parts.

In 2008, the misheld belief that flooding the market with so called “legal” ivory from ivory stockpiles would drive down prices and therefore the demand for illegal ivory; saw China and Japan being allowed a one time purchase of stock piled African ivory to flood the market. However, it failed to drive down prices or demand – poaching increased and the price of ivory tripled.

Where legal markets exist it has proved impossible to eliminate illegal markets.

The population of China is huge, 1.42 billion people and over 300 million of them are middle-class and therefore able to afford rhino horn and tiger bone. 95% of hospitals have a Chinese medicine department. A market of this size could well be the death knoll for wild rhinos and tigers. There are only 29,500 rhinos and 3,900 tigers left in the wild.

Make you voice heard. Help end the trade in rhino horn and tiger bone. Please sign this petition.