How can an animal be reduced from a population of 2 million to just 40,000 in 50 years?That’s what happened to the Saiga Antelope. Apparently, Chinese folk medicine values the Saiga horns as a cure for fevers, and poachers are hardly able to keep up with the demand. The horns sell for about $100.00 per pound.
The Saiga population has already been decimated by 98%, and experts say the animal will soon be extinct if the poaching isn’t stopped.
Unfortunately, Chinese folk medicine, rooted in ignorance and superstition, shows no sign of changing. Its demand for the horns of exotic and endangered animals is driving the slaughter of wildlife in unprecedented numbers.
The video below shows a group of wildlife researchers tagging Saiga.
