View source for Warning of risk to Asian elephants amid Chinese demand for skin

Rising Chinese demand for products made from elephant skin is driving poaching and posing an even greater threat to Asia�s wild herds than the ivory trade, according to a report by a British-based conservation group.<br><br>The group Elephant Family said the threat is currently greatest in Burma, but warned that the Asian elephant could become extinct in half of the areas where it now ranges in the region if the problem escalates.<br><br>It said the threat exceeds that from the ivory trade because poachers are targeting any elephant, not just those with tusks, and threatens elephants that are scattered in poorly protected areas.<br><br>A new report warns of the risk to Asian elephants (Peter Byrne/PA)<br><br>Asian elephants are being killed illegally for their skin. What are the criminals using the skin for?<br><br>- Elephant Family (@elephantfamily) April 22, 2018 Both - Asian elephant skin is being dried and ground into powder for medicines or added to elephant fat to make a cream for skin conditions. The subcutaneous layer, rich in capillaries, is fashioned into beads. Find out more tomorrow when we launch our new investigative report. website<br><br>- Elephant Family (@elephantfamily) April 23, 2018 The report�s [http://Photobucket.com/images/authors authors] said their research shows that the elephant�s skin is ground into powder and sold in China as a cure for stomach ailments, as well as being fashioned  [http://burmatourist.com/ myanmar tourist] into beads for necklaces, bracelets and pendants.<br><br>The products are sold in physical markets and increasingly over the internet.<br><br>Belinda Stewart-Cox, Elephant Family�s director of conservation, said from the time the group started monitoring in 2014, there has been �a major ramping up of the advertising, the promotional pitches and the apparent sales�.<br><br>She said it seems as if �there are marketers and profiteers behind this looking to ratchet up what has, I think, long been a very, very minor incidental or local market trade of no great scale, or no scale that was threatening, anyway�.<br><br>Researchers identified 50 individual Chinese traders selling through social media forums. They said labels are printed in Chinese, prices are quoted in Chinese currency and sales online are conducted in Mandarin.<br><br>The report - �Skinned: The Growing Appetite For Asian Elephants - also said that China�s State Forestry Administration has apparently licensed some products that contain elephant skin.<br><br>�At a time when China has shown a commitment to ending its domestic trade in elephant ivory, it would be troubling and perverse to find that, at the same time, it is creating a new, legal demand for elephant skin products,� it said.<br><br>Ms Stewart-Cox said her organisation has reached out to Chinese officials and has worked closely with Burma officials to address the issue.<br><br>�It is our intention to facilitate collaboration if possible,� she said. �I think we should pull together on this, there is no time, Burma is losing too many elephants, too fast.�<br><br>Next week we will be reaching out to our @twitter #family for your help to spread awareness for #Asian #elephants. One RT could help protect these amazing animals. 🐘🐘🐘🙏🏼 website pic.twitter.com/RWnZWs08DA<br><br>- Elephant Family (@elephantfamily) April 18, 2018 Elephant Family puts the current size of Burma�s wild population at approximately 2,000.<br><br>Quoting figures from Burma�s Forest Department, the group said that wild elephant deaths there have risen significantly in recent years, from 26 in 2013 to at least 61 in 2016, most of them due to poaching.<br><br>�The ivory trade doesn�t threaten the Asian elephant as severely as it threatens the African elephant because only male Asian elephants have tusks and quite a lot of those do not have tusks anyway, or little tusks; we don�t get the really big tusks as much anymore,� Ms Stewart-Cox said.<br><br>�This trade is targeting males, females, juveniles and are indiscriminate, and that means that no elephant is safe.�<br><br>Advertisement