Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn: The Destruction of Wildlife for Traditional Chinese Medicine

by Richard Ellis

Book Overview

In parts of Korea and China, moon bears, black but for the crescent-shaped patch of white on their chests, are captured in the wild and brought to "bear farms" where they are imprisoned in squeeze cages, and a steel catheter is inserted into their gall bladders. The dripping bile is collected as a cure for ailments ranging from an upset stomach to skin burns. The bear may live as long as fifteen years in this state. Rhinos are being illegally poached...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559635320
• ISBN13: 9781559635325
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Island Press
• Length: 312 Pages
• Weight: 4.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Discusses the dilemma and explores how the animals may be protected

Richard Ellis has written sixteen books on ecology and extinction and is a research associate at the American Museum of Natural history: his Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn: The Destruction Of Wildlife For Traditional Chinese Medicine presents a damning expose of the tortures and horrors animals experience in the trade for animal parts in traditional Chinese medicine. There's a large list of endangered animals which are deemed essential ingredients in Chinese potions: Richard Ellis discusses the dilemma and explores how the animals may be protected.