Quote:
Originally Posted by Danzig
I was surprised at the mention of manta rays needing protection, so i looked up stories to explain the demand. Yet another'tonic' demand (the gill plates are what they want) located in asia, one with no scientific basis, no medicinal qualities-reminds me of the demand for rhino horn.
|
and tiger parts...
If anyone is interested, this is on the Discovery Channel tonight and also discusses what the WWF is doing to help stop wildlife crime, you can also read more here:
http://wwf.panda.org/ :
Extreme Smuggling: Animals - airing 1/28 at 8:00PM ET/PT
In this episode, enter the cruel and clandestine world of illegal wildlife trafficking, where millions of people pay big bucks for rare and exotic animals. Six out of every ten households in the United States owns a pet, but there is a dark side to the exotic pet trade: endangerment and extinction of species, irresponsible ownership and the spread of animal-borne diseases. The trafficking and smuggling of exotic and endangered wildlife is a booming black market business estimated to reel in an excess of ten billion dollars annually. Traffickers go to extremes from carrying live animals under their clothes to concealing millions of dollar's worth of ivory in hidden panels inside shipping containers. Watch undercover surveillance of the largest seizure of animals in American history, a restaurant raid in Cambodia and footage of shocking airport confiscations.