Poaching for this trade is the most urgent threat to tigers in the wild. Released at a joint press conference with the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the reports call upon community and political leaders to stop the illegal U.S. trade in tiger-based products and work with Asian communities to eliminate demand. This announcement comes just one week before communities celebrate the start of the Year of the Tiger on Feb. 28, 1998.
Results show that all seven cities had products for sale.
The lowest occurrence was in Los Angeles, where law enforcement, outreach, and educational efforts have been increased in recent years. The illegal tiger trade is truly a global problem, and not one confined to Asia. Seventeen products, including pills, plasters, wines and bones, labeled as containing tiger parts were found for sale in 37 Oriental supermarkets and herbal shops in New York City in 1996. These goods were manufactured in China, but not sold there because their sale is illegal. Almost all the storeowners questioned in New York City know these products are illegal, but law enforcement in the U.S. is hampered by the need to prove whether these products actually contain tiger bone.