Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCMs)

Many Traditional Chinese Medicines use animal parts and dried plants as ingredients for healing and preventing illnesses. This is a problem because endangered species are being killed and poached which may lead to extinction. Animals such as bears are farmed and kept in terrible conditions, rhinos who are poached for their horn can often have the horn brutally removed while still alive. CITES has set itself resolutions in tackling and understanding TCMs.
Rhino horn is traditionally used to treat stroke, nosebleeds,dermatitis, headache, facial paralysis, high blood pressure, and comas. Rhino horn is also poached for ornamental purposes, traditionally the Chinese have used it to make bowls to detect the presence of poison.
Bear products such as gall bladders and bile are extracted from the bear while being kept in tiny cages. A tube is attached to their gall bladder going through the abdomen to extract bile easier. This is painful and can cause infections. The well-being of bears kept in farms is a huge cause for concern and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) have urged the chinese government to reconsider its position on bear farming and instigate a phase-out of the bear farming industry in China. Between March and November 2006, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) conducted an undercover survey of the illegal trade of bear bile products in the USA, Canada, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Korea, Australia and New Zealand. Bear products were illegallyoffered for sale in all countries investigated, with many stores claiming they originated from China. Many of the bear products found on sale were clearly labelled as being from China and in particular its bear farms. The report is called 'From Cage to Consumer' which looks at trade in bear parts from Chine to Asia and beyond.
Operation Charm is a joint partnership which deals with the illegal trade in endangered species in London, TCMs included.

This video shows how a couple of students in China are faced with illegal endangered products a lot of the time.

Other wildlife crime topics covered in my degree:

Species at Risk: Bats

The Illegal Wildlife Trade

Bees

Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPS)

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA81)

Twelve Fish Protected Under WCA81

Breeding and/or Catching Animals for fur: Debate

Traditional Alternative Medicines (TAMs)

Seals

Environmental Ethics and Ecopsychology

The Climate Change Conference 2009

Biological Diversity

Conservation Strategies

Conventions, Legislation and Contributing Bodies

Example Papers of Forensic Analysis used in Wildlife Crimes

Researching Wildlife Crime - My Research Idea

Climate Change Affecting Wildlife

Coral Reefs