Tiger Bone and Rhino Horn: The Destruction of Wildlife for Traditional Chinese Medicine 1st Edition

by Richard Ellis (Author)

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ISBN-13: 978-1559635325

ISBN-10: 1559635320

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In parts of Korea and China, moon bears, black but for the crescent-shaped patch of white on their chests, are captured in the wild and brought to "bear farms" where they are imprisoned in squeeze cages, and a steel catheter is inserted into their gall bladders. The dripping bile is collected as a cure for ailments ranging from an upset stomach to skin burns. The bear may live as long as fifteen years in this state. Rhinos are being illegally poached for their horns, as are tigers for their bones, thought to improve virility. Booming economies and growing wealth in parts of Asia are increasing demand for these precious medicinals. Already endangered species are being sacrificed for temporary treatments for nausea and erectile dysfunction.

Richard Ellis, one of the world's foremost experts in wildlife extinction, brings his alarm to the pages of Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn, in the hope that through an exposure of this drug trade, something can be done to save the animals most direly threatened. Trade in animal parts for traditional Chinese medicine is a leading cause of species endangerment in Asia, and poaching is increasing at an alarming rate. Most of traditional Chinese medicine relies on herbs and other plants, and is not a cause for concern. Ellis illuminates those aspects of traditional medicine, but as wildlife habitats are shrinking for the hunted large species, the situation is becoming ever more critical.

One hundred years ago, there were probably 100,000 tigers in India, South China, Sumatra, Bali, Java, and the Russian Far East. The South Chinese, Caspian, Balinese, and Javan species are extinct. There are now fewer than 5,000 tigers in all of India, and the numbers are dropping fast. There are five species of rhinoceros--three in Asia and two in Africa--and all have been hunted to near extinction so their horns can be ground into powder, not for aphrodisiacs, as commonly thought, but for ailments ranging from arthritis to depression. In 1930, there were 80,000 black rhinos in Africa. Now there are fewer than 2,500.

Tigers, bears, and rhinos are not the only animals pursued for the sake of alleviating human ills--the list includes musk deer, sharks, saiga antelope, seahorses, porcupines, monkeys, beavers, and sea lions--but the dwindling numbers of those rare species call us to attention. Ellis tells us what has been done successfully, and contemplates what can and must be done to save these animals or, sadly, our children will witness the extinction of tigers, rhinos, and moon bears in their lifetime.

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) frequently relies on medicines created from the body parts of animals that are rumored to have curative properties. Sea horses, for example, when consumed in large quantities, are alleged to cure everything from asthma to impotency. A worldwide interest in alternative medicine and the ease of international commerce have put dozens of species worldwide—such as American bears and African rhinos—at risk. The problem is serious, which makes it all the more unfortunate that veteran nature writer Ellis (The Empty Ocean) dilutes the issue by devoting so much space to other reasons why various species are on the verge of extinction. He also seems reluctant to blame TCM itself for creating the problem, especially given the lack of evidence of medical benefits for many of its practices. Ellis repeatedly puts forth the altruistic notion that if people only knew these remedies were obtained at the risk of other species' extinction, demand would decrease. Similarly, he suggests that making Viagra widely available will reduce the market for animal-based aphrodisiacs. Such optimism suggests that, while Ellis displays an exemplary knowledge of the animal kingdom, he has a few things left to learn about human nature. B&w photos. (June 30)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Ellis, a superb and prolific science writer, is an authority on marine life, which, as he documents so precisely in The Empty Ocean (2003), is in precipitous decline. He now presents a disturbing account of impending extinctions on land because of the ever-growing demand for animal parts, especially those of tigers and rhinos, by practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine. So many human-generated forces, from habitat destruction to pollution, are killing off species, it's especially bitter to see a venerable 3,000-year-old medical practice contributing to the catastrophe. Especially since, as Ellis reveals in this carefully researched report, many of the current claims associated with the medicinal value of tiger bones, rhino horn, and bear bile are spurious. But reality hasn't stopped the rising demand for these illegal substances, and as the populations of endangered animals rapidly decline, the profits to be made by poachers and smugglers rise. It's a complicated and urgent situation, and Ellis' meticulous and balanced report reveals the need for increased wildlife protection and a renewed assault on the trafficking in animal parts. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Ellis' meticulous and balanced report reveals the need for increased wildlife protection and a renewed assault on the trafficking in animal parts."

― Booklist

"Ellis makes a convincing case that persistent belief in the curative powers of such substances as tiger bone and rhinoceros horn is the major force driving these animals inexorably toward extinction."

― Washington Post

"...his well-researched book presents staggering statistics about the illegal wildlife trade and brings to light an important issue too few people are aware of."

― Audubon

"Ellis' extensive research gives us the inside story on the black market endangered species trade."

― E-The Environment Magazine

"What a ride! Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn takes you on a road trip through horror and sorrow but leaves you infused with hope. Richard Ellis delivers a heart-achingly accurate account of the recent history of tigers, rhinos, and bears, and explains how much of their fate—along with the fates of other rare animals—rests in the hands of the growing black market for medicine made from their parts. While Ellis spares nothing in this landmark account of the wildlife trade, he also guides us toward what must be done to curtail it."

-- Sy Montgomery, author of "Spell of the Tiger" and "Search for the Golden Moon Bear"

"A minutely researched, powerful, passionate and brave book. That we are driving other species to extinction because we compete with them for space, or eat them (as "bush meat") is bad enough, but that we kill endangered animals in vast numbers to provide "medicinals" of no therapeutic value is heartbreaking. Richard Ellis shows us what we must do to stop this needless destruction."

-- Oliver Sacks, M.D., author of "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" and "An Anthropologist on Mars"

"With its focus on staying healthy as opposed to treating illness, traditional Asian medicine is often hailed as a natural and friendly alternative to western therapies. In Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn, Richard Ellis shows just how destructive and unsustainable many of these practices are."

-- Mark Norell, American Museum of Natural History, co-author of "Unearthing the Dragon"

"To write a book such as Tiger Bone & Rhino Horn is a formidable undertaking. You must accumulate thousands of facts and spare no detail, no matter how terrible. It is always easier to write a piece of fluff and leave everybody smiling. But then, the horrors of poaching would continue unchallenged—like as tent caterpillars consuming an apple orchard, our species mindlessly consumes the others of the earth. At present, the most significant hope for our planet may be knowledge, and Richard Ellis has done a heroic job in providing a large measure of that."

-- Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of "The Tribe of Tiger", "The Hidden Life of Dogs", and "Reindeer Moon"

About the Author

Richard Ellis is the author of many books including The Empty Ocean (Island Press, 2003), Great White Shark (Harper Collins, 1991), Imagining Atlantis (Knopf, 1998), The Search for the Giant Squid (Lyons, 1998), Aquagenesis (Viking, 2001), and No Turning Back (Harper Collins, 2004). Ellis is a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History, as well as a celebrated artist whose works have been exhibited in museums worldwide.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Island Press; 1st edition (July 1, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 312 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1559635320
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1559635325
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.27 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.2 x 1 x 9.3 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,135,982 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #268 in Chinese Medicine
- #379 in History of Medicine (Books)
- #443 in Endangered Species (Books)

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Newton Ooi

What's in your horn?

Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2017

Verified Purchase

Growing up in the Chinese culture, I was taught to be proud of everything in my culture and history. I was then and always have been... until I read this book. I have encountered the occasional rhino horn or tiger claw when visiting family and friends in East Asia, but the full impact of this "industry" only dawned on me after reading this book. The author, Richard Ellis, is a famed naturalist and author of books about our natural world, past and present. I have read other works by Dr. Ellis before, but this is the first that really brought home the impact that humans have on their surroundings.

Basically, the book examines the international trade in rare animal parts for medicinal purposes. These rare animals include various species of big cats, rhinos and other large mammals. The parts that are traded literally cover the entire animal, from the sexual organs to the bile, claws, horns, teeth, fur, eyes, etc. Though the book title specifies Chinese medicine, the destination for these animal parts also include Korea, Japan and other cultures around the Pacific Rim. The overall effect of this trade is the systematic destruction of several dozen species of mammals through illegal hunting, poisoning, and even the use of landmines! Poverty, or more specifically, income inequality drives the trade. The final destination of the animal parts are usually wealthy businessmen around the world. The suppliers are the poorest villagers in the Third World who do the hunting, trapping, and smuggling across borders.

The book does end on a good note as the author talks about the rising replacement of the rare animal parts with synthetics that are mass produced at a fraction of the price of the natural goods.

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S. Nemati

A tad dry and tangential, but still an informative and worthwhile call for action

Reviewed in the United States on November 27, 2009

This is a pretty decent book. It's very informative. I learned a lot I didn't know about the wildlife trade.

It just seems like this book could have been edited a lot better. Some chapters are pretty gripping; others feel overly long and detailed. I particularly struggled through the rhino horn chapter. Ellis sometimes delves too deeply into the historical significance of animal symbols and he gets a bit too tangential in certain parts.

The other way it could be improved is to add some more emotional punch to some chapters. Ellis is a journalist and he tries to mostly remain objective throughout, refusing to outwardly condemn Traditional Chinese Medicine and much of its ludicrous claims. Toward the end of the book, Ellis finally reveals his views on preserving endangered species. It's clear he is more toward the conservationist standpoint (similar to E.O. Wilson) rather than the welfarist standpoint (though he does have some sympathies at least toward the bears used for TCM). Despite the fact he's done an awful lot of research and cares deeply for the subject, his writing is mostly detached through much of the book. I believe that had he decided to interject his opinions more vocally, the book would have been a lot more enjoyable.

I think the book is still worth reading despite being some slow chapters. You will learn a lot about wildlife trafficking, some of the proposed solutions to helping animals, and at the very least see the dire straits of the animals drawn to the brink of extinction.

3 people found this helpful

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Minagpa

A Dose of Reality

Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2009

There are no "important" ingredients of any kind within the field of Traditional Chinese herbal medicine that are of animal origin. There are only about 20 animal substances found in the Chinese materia medica, out of approximately 450 more commonly used substances. Such books paint a VERY unrealistic and derogatory view of a powerful and effective medicine, that is TCM. I have been practicing Traditional Chinese herbal medicine daily for nearly fifteen years, and have never once used (or come across anyone else using) a single endangered species ingredient. I do applaud any efforts towards conservation of nature. Now, to correct the various ignorant reviewers, let me explain the actual situation. It is the most uneducated and superstitious blue-color Chinese who purchase such animal products absolutely OUTSIDE of the advice of a TCM doctor. Therefore, do not blame TCM for something that is entirely a Chinese social problem and not a classical medical problem. Superstition is the enemy here, not Traditional Chinese Medicine.

9 people found this helpful

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Tiger Bone and Rhino Horn: The Destruction of Wildlife for Traditional Chinese Medicine 1st Edition

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