India's Contraband Wildlife

An officer of Lhasa Custom inspects a piece of tiger skin in 2005 in Tibet
China Photos / Getty Images

Sought-After
Despite heightened international efforts to halt wildlife smuggling, dozens of species continue to be killed, felled or captured alive in India to be smuggled to China and other parts of East and South Asia. They fetch lofty prices in the increasingly wealthier Chinese market, or are sold further to richer markets in the Middle East and North America. Though the international tiger and tiger parts trade has been hogging the limelight, there are many lesser-known species much sought-after for their meat, hide and parts, or simply their beauty.

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