25 August 2005
Fur trade in Tibet threatens survival of Himalayan tigers and leopards
China's branch of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has expressed its concern over the increasing role of the Tibetan market in the trade of tiger and Asian leopard skins. A growing trend in Tibet for clothing made with tiger and leopard skins reportedly threatens these endangered species. According to Dawa Tsering, head of the Tibet Programme of WWF-China, "with the right tools and information, Tibetans will weigh this issue between fashion, culture and conservation and be part of the solution". WWF is the only conservation group with international ramifications that has a field office in Tibet. International observers point to the PRC as a major destination of the skin and other pars of Asian big cats. Tiger bones for instance, are coveted in low-land China for their alleged effect as an aphrodisiac.