Three to five pelts are needed to weave one shawl. Experts said evidence had emerged of a border barter trade in which shahtoosh was swapped for tiger parts penises, bones, internal organs prized in China as aphrodisiacs. One bag of bones culled from Indian tigers traded for two bags of shahtoosh. The wool is spun, woven and embroidered with exquisite filigree in Srinagar by companies controlled by a handful of powerful families. The shawls are smuggled to fashion outlets worldwide.
Total output is unknown.
The chiru has been listed as endangered since 1975. Without the co-operation of the Kashmiri authorities, the chiru's only hope lies in enhanced border patrols.