Authorities fear that the killing of Sheila the tiger at Jambi’s Rimbo Zoo is a shocking new development in the illegal wildlife trade. The tiger’s skin, along with body parts in demand for traditional Asian “remedies”, were taken from the tiger’s enclosure.
Officials noted that even the tiger’s blood had been collected.
According to the Jakarta Globe, authorities suspect the poachers went through a gutter into the zoo and made their way to Sheila’s enclosure, where they threw in poisoned bait to kill her.
Didy Wurdjanto, the head of the Jambi Natural Resources Conservation Center, is confident that the killing of the tiger was done by professionals who were well aware of the tiger’s value in the illegal wildlife trade.
There is no doubt that the killers were professionals because they did their job very cleanly, taking off the skin in the enclosure rather than dragging the 100-kilogram animal out, which could have attracted attention … I just can’t bear the thought that this could be a new trend in the illegal wildlife trade, [that poachers] are now going after tame tigers in zoos rather than in forests. The demand for tigers is increasing and the price is getting higher because there are so few left.
The head of Taman Rimbo Zoo “refused to speculate on whether zoo staff could have been involved in the crime.”
Increasing demand for tiger parts
Tiger (and rhino) conservation is under serious threat by China’s economic boom: The growing affluence in China and other Asian countries is driving an unprecedented demand for tiger (and rhino) parts for supposed “medicinal” purposes – and as a result, forcing tigers and rhino closer to extinction in the wild.
China has even lobbied to get the ban on their horrific “tiger farms” lifted: See “Breeding Tigers for Commercial Trade in Body Parts.”
Now it appears these murderers will stop at nothing to get what they want.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com / CC BY-ND 2.0
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
This had to be a inside job, it’s just sad!!
The situation is extremely worrying. The trade in tiger parts continues throughout Asia. One wonders why the so called ‘Tiger Farms’ are allowed to consider especially when trade in tigers is illegal. One must be either blind or stupid not to know just what is going on.
Now they decide on breaking into zoos. Cost free and much safer than poaching in the wild. What is it going to be next week…a Rhino?
The economic growth of China is a danger for the world and the environment.With the money the eco-mafia kill animals around the world
Is necessary a free public opinion in China more sensible.This year poaching is increased for elephants, rhinos, tigers, …
I am a medical and the traditional chinese medicine is only a stupid tradition (for example the cheratine of the rhino horn is the same of the hairs!).And the viagra is better of the tiger’s penis…
The cultural values of the East, especially China are very different from those of the US. I wish they would legalize and proliferate the “tiger farms” to satisfy the demand for the animals. At least that would save more of the wildlife population.
You’ve got to give something to win the big picture in this fight.
Ha goes to show you how backwards and retared people are if they think these “remedies” outway conventional medicine.
this world is messed up people are sick
These poachers are subject to minimum punishments for the atrocities they commit, usually a fine or a small amount of time in prison. There are 2 major ways to eliminate the market: 1. Exorbitant entry barrier requirements – Poaching and killing of endangered animals punishable of forfeiture of all property and execution, and 2. Destroy demand – release poisoned/tainted goods into the market and promote the fear through the concept of disease/death. If the market is kept as is with people thinking that burning a tiger skin will keep away centipedes, or ingesting a rhino horn will make women want you, then these animals are doomed. Why not just open season on poachers? But hey, every other method has worked so good, why not just stay the course?
I loled
It really makes me sick and extremely angry when I read stories like this. Humans with their insatiable greed & apettite and their poisonous minds must not be allowed to treat animals with such cruelty.
I say bring back capital punishment for these bast**d.
Anything less is just not gonna work when money and damand is presented at such magnitude.
They’re still backwards. Painfully, selfishly backwards. As long as there is demand there will be people willing to do whatever necessary to fulfil it and I’m not sure what can be done about that.
One almost begins to wonder if it’s a battle worth fighting. We’ve failed so throroughly at protecting so many species on earth it’s tempting to just throw in the towel. What’s the point anymore? Every tiger alive on earth today is in danger of being skinned, tortured in a farm, or imprisoned in zoos of varying quality. The lucky ones require constant protection and are in danger despite that and why? Because we’re guilty and they’re pretty?
Let these idiots kill them off. If we aren’t able to protect them from other humans than we don’t deserve them. Nature’s course seems to involve humans destroying everything we touch. Our guilt and self-loathing compelled us to fight that fact but it’s becoming clearer every year that we’ve failed and should accept it.
All sewage streams lead to China…
That is just sick and people have serious issues. The fact that they skinned a tiger for its furs and other parts is messed up enough but in a zoo??
While this is truly sad, it is NOT at all indicative of any other zoo — especially not in the USA, Europe, or Australia, and not even at most Third World zoos. At almost every zoo worldwide, the zookeepers are devoted and caring animal-lovers who would never tolerate this.
Allen Nyhuis, Coauthor: America’s Best Zoos
our environment will judge our actions. so sad!!
thats jus pure sick and dirty who would do such a thing
Poor tiger… It almost looks like he knows what happened.