Beijing: China’s thirst for a centuries-old traditional medicine is leaving a trail of unimaginable cruelty. Millions of donkeys are killed every year, not for food, but for their skins. Imported from Africa and Pakistan, the skins are boiled into Ejiao, a gelatin-like substance used in health tonics, beauty creams, desserts and even alcoholic drinks.
Ejiao is a traditional Chinese medicine believed to reverse aging, improve blood circulation and treat anemia, insomnia, dizziness and even cancer. It has been used for more than 2,500 years. It is also a key ingredient in high-end skincare products and wellness tonics, making it one of China’s most lucrative traditional remedies.
Once a luxury for the wealthy, Ejiao is now in huge demand among China’s growing middle class. The market for this “miracle” serum jumped from $3.2 billion in 2013 to $7.8 billion in 2021.
A report by Daily Mail reveals that over six million donkeys are slaughtered annually for this product. The process is ruthless. The animal is forced to walk for hours until exhausted. They are beaten mercilessly before being killed. Their skins are stripped, shipped to China and processed at industrial scales, then sold legally online as luxury health products.
Dr. Scott Miller of animal charity Brooke said, “Even knowing the horrors of this trade, what I saw in Africa left me speechless. Donkeys are stolen, sold under pressure, deprived of food and water, forced to endure long, painful journeys and finally slaughtered in unimaginable conditions.”
Despite the African Union outlawing the slaughter of donkeys for their skins in 2024, illegal killings continue to meet China’s growing demand. Countries such as Pakistan and African nations remain major suppliers. In Botswana, for example, the donkey population fell by nearly 70% between 2011 and 2021 from 351,421 to just 104,536.
Estimates suggest that Africa’s donkey population could drop from 27 million to just 14 million in the next 15 years if this trade continues.
The global demand for Ejiao reveals a dark truth. What seems like a harmless health tonic hides unimaginable cruelty and pushes a species toward extinction. Millions of donkeys die, their suffering masked by centuries of tradition and modern luxury.
China’s “miracle” medicine comes at a human-ignored and animal-paid price. The world is waking up to a trade more brutal than most could imagine.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
