Tiger slaughter outcry

Press, 13 March 1985, Page 16

Tiger slaughter outcry

By Martin Roth, in Taipei

The continuing slaughter in Taiwan of rare tigers for their organs — believed by many Chinese to hold aphrodisiac properties — has led to an outcry at the lack of animal protection laws. Businessmen in the south of the country have reaped large profits since August last year by selling the meat and organs of at least eight tigers. They claim to have many more ready for the knife. On some occasions they have slaughtered the beasts before crowds of eager spectators, many of whom are reported to have travelled long distances to buy the

most coveted organs. Local newspapers have been among the leaders in calling on the Government to enact legislation to prohibit the killing of rare animals. The same newspapers have also fallen over themselves to provide their fascinated readers with all possible details of the tiger slaughters, including comprehensive lists of the prices paid for the various parts of the carcase. They reported that the sexual organ of the sixth tiger, killed in mid-November, fetched ?U51375, the hide went for SUS3OOO, the heart for SUSI2S, the teeth for

SUSI2S, the blood for SUSSO a 600cc bottle, and the tail for SUSI2S. The businessmen disposed of the entire tiger for around ?U516,250, with half of this reckoned to be profit. The Government has been slow to act, but two tigers gained a reprieve late last year when an anonymous benefactor bought them from the businessmen shortly before their scheduled slaughter and gave them to the Taipei Zoo. Plans by other businessmen to kill two lions, also for their organs, were halted at the same time. It was done, appropriately, at the urgent behest of a local branch of the Lions Club. — Copyright, NZ Japan News Inc.