China has backtracked on a controversial move to ease a ban on using tiger and rhino parts for “scientific, medical and cultural purposes”. Environmental groups protesting against the move said it would be a setback to the efforts of protecting endangered animals. A senior official told Chinese state media Xinhua on November 12 that the move to ease the ban had been “postponed after study”. Tiger and rhino parts are prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine to treat illnesses like fever, gout and insomnia.
