With trading at an estimated 6 billion dollars annually, poaching has become the world s second most profitable crime activity behind illegal drug trade. In its prevalence, poaching has driven many species to the point of extinction. Animals around the world are killed each day for their body parts. In Africa, elephant tusks are a valuable source of ivory used in jewelry. The mothers of newborn mountain gorillas are often killed so that their young ones could be shipped to foreign countries for research or display.
Tropical birds become a rarity in their native lands because they sold as pets.
These are just a few examples of the maltreatment of animals globally. However, the trade of species that may become endangered are only regulated by a permit. Bear parts are especially in high demand around the world. For thousands of years, bear parts have been used as cures in traditional Chinese medicine. Nearly every part of the bear has medicinal use.