Documenting Asia's Illegal Animal Trade

A really interesting short documentary, where photographer Patrick Brown goes to China to show the vastness of the illegal animal trade.



The animal trade is an unfortunate reality, and much bigger than most people realize. A lot of poachers are ignorant, & do what they do because it's all they know... However the slaughter of endangered animals, and large mammals like elephants, is unforgivable.

This is partly in response to Whole family of elephants killed

This subject frustrates the hell out of me. Greedy, heartless people getting rich at the expense of animals that are worth 10 of any one of them, and the medical ignorance of a vast number of people.

ps.Oh, and those who trade in the variety of "exotic" animal parts.

reply to post by Raelsatu


Unfortunately, while Africa remains a continent of 3rd world nations......the animal trade will continue.

Take heart though.

Illegally transporting bio-matter between countries is risky business and can spread epidemics......eventually China will get more than she bargained for.

Originally posted by IvanAstikov
This subject frustrates the hell out of me. Greedy, heartless people getting rich at the expense of animals that are worth 10 of any one of them, and the medical ignorance of a vast number of people.

ps.Oh, and those who trade in the variety of "exotic" animal parts

I agree that they're ignorant; but as far as I can tell many of them aren't necessarily greedy/heartless. More like acclimated to that market of selling animal parts, desensitized & disconnected. It looks as if some sell little things to make an income; others are dealing in rare & exotic animals to make big profits. I primarily have an issue when it comes to rare/endangered animals being used, but even things like the immense shark fin market are terrible. Millions of sharks are being slaughtered just for their fin(s), a lot of which is due to the medical ignorance of Chinese believing ingesting it brings vitality. Also, that it's a popular thing to dine on cartilage for other unjustified reasons.

China for ex. has strict laws on testing cosmetics on animals before humans can use them. All of that with with telling companies who do not do such(Urban Decay*) that they cannot sell their products in the country unless tested on lab animals. Yet they allow these illegal animals smugglers to rule the trade in their Traditional Chinese Medicine markets, because they allow the products in pharmacies, etc. Maybe if they made a bit of change towards laws, testing,... they may find that tiger penis really doesn't give a human a higher libido. Don't get me wrong I am for Alt Medicine but but not when it's barbaric towards who it's taken from or illegal, let alone not even proven in results! I mean how do they even know it's safe for their citizens? General Info Source on Traditional Chinese Medicine

*

Urban Decay announced on June 6th, 2012 that they will begin selling their products in China, a country that is known to conduct animal testing on products before releasing them to the public.
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