China and other Asian nations should shut privately run tiger farms as they are inhumane and fuel demand for the endangered big cat’s bones and skin, the World Bank said Thursday.
Tiger farms are found principally in China, as well as Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. Owners claim rearing the cats in captivity will help reduce the illegal trade in tiger parts which are used in traditional medicine, but environmentalists say it only stimulates further smuggling.
World Bank Vice President for East Asia James Adams said the Bank was moving from a ‘do no harm’ to a ‘do measurable good’ approach, emphasizing smart infrastructure, applying green standards to tiger conservation habitats and introducing effective and professional management of national parks and protected areas.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
