http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/ecology/berlin-zoo-director-accused-of-selling-animals-for-chinese-medicine/961 for environmentalists who don't take themselves too seriously Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:42:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/ecology/berlin-zoo-director-accused-of-selling-animals-for-chinese-medicine/961/comment-page-1#comment-27468 Dr. Kati Loeffler Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:27:22 +0000 http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/ecology/berlin-zoo-director-accused-of-selling-animals-for-chinese-medicine/961#comment-27468 Combined with the cultural motivation for purchasing exotic animal parts for medicinal and psychoactive uses, there are two additional elements that motivate the burgeoning wildlife trade in China. 1) A highly status-driven society that drives a relentless need to demonstrate power and wealth; and 2) the rapid rise income among the Chinese, which enables people increasingly to exercise the demonstration of status. The combination of these 3 factors create a seemingly insatiable and accelerating market for wildlife products. Combined with the cultural motivation for purchasing exotic animal parts for medicinal and psychoactive uses, there are two additional elements that motivate the burgeoning wildlife trade in China. 1) A highly status-driven society that drives a relentless need to demonstrate power and wealth; and 2) the rapid rise income among the Chinese, which enables people increasingly to exercise the demonstration of status. The combination of these 3 factors create a seemingly insatiable and accelerating market for wildlife products.

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