Tigers facing new threats from evolving consumer demand
After decades of severe poaching, illegal trade, and habitat loss, some tiger populations appear to be very slowly recovering.
But they remain highly endangered, and evolving demand for new tiger products threatens the existence of already precariously low numbers.
Despite a global ban on tiger trade, consumer demand for tiger skins and bones in Asia is an ongoing issue that drives poaching and trafficking.
Yearly TRAFFIC consumer surveys, investigations, and reports across East and Southeast Asia have followed this trend, supporting governments, law enforcement, and behavioural change campaigns to combat the tiger trafficking crisis.
In Viet Nam, where tigers are now extinct, tiger parts have long been used because of their perceived value in traditional medicine, or as symbols of social status or power.
In 2021, TRAFFIC found that 43% of traditional medicine practitioners in Viet Nam admitted to prescribing illegal tiger derivatives, due in part to deeply rooted cultural beliefs.
But a recent TRAFFIC consumer survey of city dwellers in Viet Nam has revealed a new product being widely used among existing tiger consumers.
TIGER BONE GLUE
Tiger bone glue has recently emerged in popularity across the country, with almost 45% of existing consumers in urban centres admitting to using it.
Despite a lack of evidence that it is effective, or even safe, illegal tiger bone glue is used to treat a variety of osteoarthritic conditions, applied as a pain killer, and even used for male sexual enhancement.
TRAFFIC and its partners have been running targeted social marketing campaigns aimed at reducing the motivation that drives consumer demand for tiger products among established users.
But efforts to understand this new consumer trend are ongoing. One possible explanation for the surge in tiger bone glue’s popularity is a recent influx of lion bones into the country, exported from South Africa.
Due to the increased availability of lion bones, and their similarity to tiger bones, traffickers often launder lion bones as tiger bones, driving up demand.
While Global Tiger Day is an opportunity to celebrate the success of global conservation efforts and international government action, keeping up with new trends, new products, and new trafficking methods is essential to keep tigers in the wild and see their number increase.
TRAFFIC remains committed to sounding the alarm on new findings affecting tigers and supporting targeted campaigns and multi-pronged enforcement efforts to decrease the consumer demand that threatens to drive them to extinction.”
Nga Thuy Bui, Senior Programme Manager, TRAFFIC Viet Nam
Notes:
TRAFFIC’s recent survey was part of the project “Social Marketing to reduce demand for tiger products in Viet Nam” funded by the United Kingdom Government (UKaid) through the Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund (IWT Challenge Fund) with implementation support from the TRAFFIC International Viet Nam Office (TRAFFIC).
About IWTCF
The Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund (IWTCF) is a UK government competitive grants scheme aimed at eradicating the illegal trade in wildlife. The UK is committed to protecting endangered animals and plants from poaching and illegal trade. The IWTCF provides funding for practical projects around the world that help eradicate illegal wildlife trade and, in doing so, reduce poverty.
