The Singapore-based Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) said an undercover investigation revealed that 59 out of 134 shops visited offered jewelry and amulets suspected to be made from parts of the endangered species, including claws, teeth and skin. Of the 59 shops, 52 were selling the alleged tiger parts openly, it said, noting that it recorded evidence of the investigation, conducted from December to February, on video.
The dealers claimed that the tiger parts originated from Thailand, India, Sri Lanka, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, Laos and Cambodia, according to the group.
"The investigation findings showed the presence of an illegal trade in alleged tiger parts in Singapore," executive director Louis Ng said. Advertising the sale of tiger parts was illegal, even if the products turned out to be fake, the group said in a statement. By claiming that a product was from tigers, it added, the dealers were potentially driving up the demand for tiger parts. "As long as there is demand, there will be supply," said Ng. Although all commercial tiger trade have been banned since 1987, there had been an decrease of about 50 percent in the wild tiger population since then, Acres said.
Fewer than 3,200 tigers remained in the wild today, compared to more than 100,000 less than a century ago, the group added.
Around Asia, tigers are deprived of their habitat and killed for use in traditional medicine, jewelry, lucky charms and novelties.
