China eyes move that could wipe out tigers
CanWest News Service
Published: Tuesday, June 19, 2007

BEIJING - China will eventually lift a ban on the trade of tiger bones, state media reported Tuesday, a move that wildlife experts believe could wipe out the endangered species in the wild.

The UN body monitoring wildlife commerce rebuked China last week for its large-scale tiger farming program and cautioned Beijing not to lift a 1993 domestic ban on the trade in products made from tiger parts.

But Wang Wei, deputy director of the department of wildlife conservation, said the lobby pushing for trade in tiger parts needs to be taken into account. "It will be a waste if the resources of dead tigers are not used," he said.