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Chinese Medicine Endangers Tigers

No other animal is as closely knit to the lore of Chinese medicine as the tiger. As a matter of fact, tigers by and large are now considered to be endangered. Even though it is the largest wild cat and truly has not predators and natural enemies other than man, the numbers are now estimated to be somewhere around 2,500 in the world.

The reasons why Chinese medicine endangers tigers are plentiful:

? From a spiritual point of view, the tiger's ribs are associated with good luck. Fashioned into a talisman, they are sometimes worn together and sometimes individually in an effort to ensure a person's overall fortune.

? Claws and to a lesser extent teeth are considered to be talismans useful to imbue the wearer with courage and also aggression. A favorite to be given as a gift to a soldier on the way to battle.

? Sons who were setting out for battle were also frequently served a dish prepared from the cooked heart of the tiger. This was supposed to give courage yet at the same time also enhance the diner's sense of shrewdness so that by his wiliness he was able to extricate himself from a host of potentially life threatening situations.

? In the religious practices the bones of the tail and also the feet of the tiger factor prominently. The last bone of a tiger's tail is supposed to be useful in warding off spirits of ill will while the feet of the tiger were sometimes prepared in accordance to specific rituals and then placed prominently in front of a door to prevent an evil spirit from entering a home.

? It is a well known fact that a tiger's penis is said to bring back to life certain parts of the male anatomy which has been dormant for many a decade. Although the effectiveness of this body part as a bona fide cure is neither proven nor studied, this is one of the most persistent myths surrounding the male tiger's anatomy and has contributed to the slaughter of tigers and many an animal's death, even today! Sadly, even Westerners who otherwise scoff at the lore of tiger use will seek out underground herbal shops that specialize in procuring this ingredient at astounding prices.

? Brain of tiger is claimed to cure acne (if applied topically) while gallstones are said to cure open sores that have become infected.

Even as a worldwide education campaign is underway to save the last remaining tigers from extinction, the lure of the foreign and exotic ingredient drives many Westerners to unwittingly support the practice of tiger hunting. Similarly, those who deride the claims of the West that tigers are on the verge of extinction will hold on doggedly to the notion that there will always be sufficient numbers of these animals available to ensure the health of the true believers. At this point in time there is no sign of change, and thus zoos, wild animal reserves, and the patrolling of known tiger populations is the only remedy against this practice.