What is it with the Chinese? In pursuit of exotic Chinese medicines, they have extincted many of their own wildlife and over the years have turned to other countries wildlife to make up for their loss. As the industrial revolution spreads across China the resulting middle class is created in it's wake. These newly wealthy Chinese middle class only exacerbates the historic use of wildlife for exotic Chinese medicines.
The latest endangered species to feel the impact of Chinese wealth is India's Asiatic lion. There are only 350 in the wild. The lion used to range in China but is long gone. In the past 4 months, 8 lions have been poached in India for their pelt, bones and internal parts. They were shipped to China for use in traditional Chinese medicines.A short-list Chinese menu of endangered species that are used in medicines include: black bear, tiger, rhinos, musk ox and shark fins. The Chinese also use elephant ivory for art and jewelry. The Chinese run fishing trawlers with 60 mile nets that sweep the seas of fish and mammals.
Meanwhile the middle class has created staggering pollution of air and water by industry in their demands for goods and services. Also wealth has supported a surge in births in China. Officially China has a 1 child law. But the middle class has legally circumvented this law by taking fertility pills and having multiple births. Woe is us.
What do you do with 1.2 billion munching Chinese that behave as a de facto virus on the planet? What goes around comes around. Maybe the Chinese will run into some virus of their own making and reduce their unnecessary numbers and mitigate their destructive behavior and philosophy.
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