AGRICULTURE NEWS - Chinese demand for traditional medicines has sent poachers hunting for African animals from rhinos to pangolins. Now a humbler creature is threatened: donkeys.
Once prized by emperors, a gelatin called ejiao – made from donkey skins – is increasingly sought after by China’s middle class.
The health benefits are believed similar to products derived from rhino horns, from working as a blood thinner to acting as an aphrodisiac, which could ease pressure on endangered rhinos.
But as in countries from Burkina Faso to Kenya, South Africa is now seeing its donkey population plunge, threatening other businesses that make soaps and creams from donkey milk.“In South Africa, we have seen a rapid decline of the donkey population due to illegal slaughter to supply the Chinese skin trade,” said Jesse Christelis, co-founder of the Donkey Dairy.
