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  • TCM shop in Hanoi, Vietnam.  Traditional Chinese medicine is a style of traditional medicine built on a foundation of more than 2,500 years of Chinese medical practice that includes various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, exercise , and dietary therapy, but recently also influenced by modern Western medicine. TCM is widely used in Greater China where it has long been the standard system of medicine, but it's recently been highlighted by conservationists as a threat to much of the wildlife across the globe, such as rhino, for it's horn and pangolins for their scales. Photo: Paul Hilton for Earth Tree
    548A6216.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale in a TCM store,Vietnam, June 2015. Photo: Paul Hilton for WildAid
    548A5955.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale in a TCM store, Vietnam, June 2015. Photo: Paul Hilton for WildAid
    548A5939.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale in a TCM store,Vietnam, June 2015. Photo: Paul Hilton for WildAid
    548A5936.jpg
  • Seahorses, for sale, Guangzhou, China. Sea horses are used in Traditional Chines Medicine. Seahorses are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching. In recent years, seahorse populations have plummeted due to their popularity in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM). Despite there being no evidence to suggest that seahorse has any medical benefits, demand for the fish has grown immensely with people hailing it as a miracle cure for ailments such as impotence, bladder control, asthma, and abdominal pain. Seahorse is also thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac and is often taken to increase sexual potency.<br />
<br />
With around one-quarter of the world’s population practising Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is not surprising that the seahorse populations are being threatened. The staggering demand for this ‘miracle medicine’ has spawned a spike in illegal trade and harvest of the unique seahorse, with over 24 million seahorses being sold around the world each year. Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
    IMG_6531.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9195.tif
  • Seahorses, for sale, Guangzhou, China. Sea horses are used in Traditional Chines Medicine. Seahorses are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching. In recent years, seahorse populations have plummeted due to their popularity in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM). Despite there being no evidence to suggest that seahorse has any medical benefits, demand for the fish has grown immensely with people hailing it as a miracle cure for ailments such as impotence, bladder control, asthma, and abdominal pain. Seahorse is also thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac and is often taken to increase sexual potency.<br />
<br />
With around one-quarter of the world’s population practising Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is not surprising that the seahorse populations are being threatened. The staggering demand for this ‘miracle medicine’ has spawned a spike in illegal trade and harvest of the unique seahorse, with over 24 million seahorses being sold around the world each year. Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
    _I9X4465.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9340.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9269.tif
  • Seahorses, for sale, Guangzhou, China. Sea horses are used in Traditional Chines Medicine. Seahorses are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching. In recent years, seahorse populations have plummeted due to their popularity in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM). Despite there being no evidence to suggest that seahorse has any medical benefits, demand for the fish has grown immensely with people hailing it as a miracle cure for ailments such as impotence, bladder control, asthma, and abdominal pain. Seahorse is also thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac and is often taken to increase sexual potency.<br />
<br />
With around one-quarter of the world’s population practising Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is not surprising that the seahorse populations are being threatened. The staggering demand for this ‘miracle medicine’ has spawned a spike in illegal trade and harvest of the unique seahorse, with over 24 million seahorses being sold around the world each year. Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
    IMG_6352.jpg
  • Seahorses, for sale, Guangzhou, China. Sea horses are used in Traditional Chines Medicine. Seahorses are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching. In recent years, seahorse populations have plummeted due to their popularity in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM). Despite there being no evidence to suggest that seahorse has any medical benefits, demand for the fish has grown immensely with people hailing it as a miracle cure for ailments such as impotence, bladder control, asthma, and abdominal pain. Seahorse is also thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac and is often taken to increase sexual potency.<br />
<br />
With around one-quarter of the world’s population practising Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is not surprising that the seahorse populations are being threatened. The staggering demand for this ‘miracle medicine’ has spawned a spike in illegal trade and harvest of the unique seahorse, with over 24 million seahorses being sold around the world each year. Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
    _I9X4476.jpg
  • Pangolin scales at a traditional medicine shop, Hanoi, Vietnam.  Traditional Chinese medicine is a style of traditional medicine built on a foundation of more than 2,500 years of Chinese medical practice that includes various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, exercise , and dietary therapy, but recently also influenced by modern Western medicine. TCM is widely used in Greater China where it has long been the standard system of medicine, but it's recently been highlighted by conservationists as a threat to much of the wildlife across the globe, such as rhino, for it's horn, pangolins for their scales. Photo: Paul Hilton for Earth Tree
    548A5926.jpg
  • Seahorses, for sale, Guangzhou, China. Sea horses are used in Traditional Chines Medicine. Seahorses are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching. In recent years, seahorse populations have plummeted due to their popularity in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM). Despite there being no evidence to suggest that seahorse has any medical benefits, demand for the fish has grown immensely with people hailing it as a miracle cure for ailments such as impotence, bladder control, asthma, and abdominal pain. Seahorse is also thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac and is often taken to increase sexual potency.<br />
<br />
With around one-quarter of the world’s population practising Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is not surprising that the seahorse populations are being threatened. The staggering demand for this ‘miracle medicine’ has spawned a spike in illegal trade and harvest of the unique seahorse, with over 24 million seahorses being sold around the world each year. Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
    _I9X4463.tif
  • Seahorses, for sale, Guangzhou, China. Sea horses are used in Traditional Chines Medicine. Seahorses are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching. In recent years, seahorse populations have plummeted due to their popularity in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM). Despite there being no evidence to suggest that seahorse has any medical benefits, demand for the fish has grown immensely with people hailing it as a miracle cure for ailments such as impotence, bladder control, asthma, and abdominal pain. Seahorse is also thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac and is often taken to increase sexual potency.<br />
<br />
With around one-quarter of the world’s population practising Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is not surprising that the seahorse populations are being threatened. The staggering demand for this ‘miracle medicine’ has spawned a spike in illegal trade and harvest of the unique seahorse, with over 24 million seahorses being sold around the world each year. Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
    _I9X4469.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9342.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9278.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9237.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9196.tif
  • Seahorses, for sale, Guangzhou, China. Sea horses are used in Traditional Chines Medicine. Seahorses are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching. In recent years, seahorse populations have plummeted due to their popularity in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM). Despite there being no evidence to suggest that seahorse has any medical benefits, demand for the fish has grown immensely with people hailing it as a miracle cure for ailments such as impotence, bladder control, asthma, and abdominal pain. Seahorse is also thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac and is often taken to increase sexual potency.<br />
<br />
With around one-quarter of the world’s population practising Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is not surprising that the seahorse populations are being threatened. The staggering demand for this ‘miracle medicine’ has spawned a spike in illegal trade and harvest of the unique seahorse, with over 24 million seahorses being sold around the world each year. Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
    _I9X4480.jpg
  • Children pose for a photograph in front of serval kilos of dried manta ray gill plates used in Traditional Chinese medicine in China (TCM), Lamakera Village, Solor, Indonesia. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    MR7A0395.jpg
  • Triditional Chinese Medicine shop in Hanoi, Vietnam. Traditional Chinese medicine is a style of traditional medicine built on a foundation of more than 2,500 years of Chinese medical practice that includes various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, exercise , and dietary therapy, but recently also influenced by modern Western medicine. TCM is widely used in Greater China where it has long been the standard system of medicine, but it's recently been highlighted by conservationists as a threat to much of the wildlife across the globe, such as rhino, for it's horn and pangolins for their scales. Photo: Paul Hilton for Earth Tree
    548A6203.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale at a market in Hanoi, Vietnam. Traditional Chinese medicine is a style of traditional medicine built on a foundation of more than 2,500 years of Chinese medical practice that includes various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, exercise , and dietary therapy, but recently also influenced by modern Western medicine. TCM is widely used in Greater China where it has long been the standard system of medicine, but it's recently been highlighted by conservationists as a threat to much of the wildlife across the globe, such as rhino, for it's horn, pangolins for their scales. Photo: Paul Hilton for Earth Tree
    548A6315.jpg
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9341.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_934101.tif
  • Manta rays seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Enen though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace Manta rays are seen in the cold up wellings of Nusa Penida, Bali, Indonesia. Even though manta rays are protected in Indonesia, they are still targeted for their gill plates, to be used in traditional Chinese medicine or TCM. Photo: Paul Hilton for Greenpeace
    IMG_9320.tif
  • Seahorses, for sale, Guangzhou, China. Sea horses are used in Traditional Chines Medicine. Seahorses are threatened by habitat loss, pollution and illegal poaching. In recent years, seahorse populations have plummeted due to their popularity in Traditional Chinese Medicine, (TCM). Despite there being no evidence to suggest that seahorse has any medical benefits, demand for the fish has grown immensely with people hailing it as a miracle cure for ailments such as impotence, bladder control, asthma, and abdominal pain. Seahorse is also thought to be a powerful aphrodisiac and is often taken to increase sexual potency.<br />
<br />
With around one-quarter of the world’s population practising Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is not surprising that the seahorse populations are being threatened. The staggering demand for this ‘miracle medicine’ has spawned a spike in illegal trade and harvest of the unique seahorse, with over 24 million seahorses being sold around the world each year. Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
    IMG_6355.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale at a TCM store, Hanoi,  Vietnam. Photo: Paul Hilton for WildAid wildlife trade, wildlife markets, wildlife crime, wildlife market, pangpolins,
    548A6309.jpg
  • TCM shops, Hanoi. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images wildlife trade, wildlife markets, wildlife crime, wildlife market, pangpolins,
    548A6346.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale at a TCM store, Hanoi,  Vietnam. Photo: Paul Hilton for WildAid wildlife trade, wildlife markets, wildlife crime, wildlife market, pangpolins,
    548A6306.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale at a TCM store, Hanoi,  Vietnam. Photo: Paul Hilton for WildAid wildlife trade, wildlife markets, wildlife crime, wildlife market, pangpolins,
    548A6319.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale at a TCM store, Hanoi,  Vietnam. Photo: Paul Hilton for WildAid wildlife trade, wildlife markets, wildlife crime, wildlife market, pangpolins,
    548A6314.jpg
  • TCM shoo in Hanoi,  Vietnam. Photo: Paul Hilton for WildAid wildlife trade, wildlife markets, wildlife crime, wildlife market, pangpolins,
    548A6216.jpg
  • Turtles are consumed every year across China, Vietnam, Indonesia and other parts of Asia. Their shells are used in TCM, Traditional Chinese Medicine. Guangzhou, China. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images Exotic turtles are sold on the street in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. China is the largest consumer of turtles in the world and international trade has been cited as the greatest threat to Asian turtles. Two main types of trade in live turtles occur in China: for food and traditional Chinese medicine, and for pets. The food trade involves the largest quantities of turtles. In recent years, however, the international pet turtle trade has increased dramatically. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    _Y4D2734.tif
  • A drugged tiger, is tormented by tourist at the The Xiongsen Bear & Tiger Mountain Village, Guangxi Province, China. An estimated 8,000 tigers are kept in tiger farms across China. Their bones and used Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and also for tiger wine, which many believe acts as an aphrodisiac. Photo: Paul Hilton
    tiger.jpg
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  • Manta gills for sale at the market
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  • A traditional Chinese medicine shop sells manta ray gill plates. Demand for gill rakers is the largest driver for manta and mobula ray fisheries. Anecdotes gathered through investigations and literature searches suggest that gill rakers, which consist of thin filaments that manta and mobula rays use to filter food from the water column, can treat health issues ranging from chicken pox to cancer. Some practitioners claim that gill rakers, known in China as “Peng Yu Sai,” boost the immune system and help purify the body by reducing toxins and fever and enhancing blood circulation. Others claim that gill rakers will remedy throat and skin ailments, male kidney issues, and help couples with fertility problems. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    _I9X9676.jpg
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  • A traditional Chinese medicine shop sells manta ray gill plates. Demand for gill rakers is the largest driver for manta and mobula ray fisheries. Anecdotes gathered through investigations and literature searches suggest that gill rakers, which consist of thin filaments that manta and mobula rays use to filter food from the water column, can treat health issues ranging from chicken pox to cancer. Some practitioners claim that gill rakers, known in China as “Peng Yu Sai,” boost the immune system and help purify the body by reducing toxins and fever and enhancing blood circulation. Others claim that gill rakers will remedy throat and skin ailments, male kidney issues, and help couples with fertility problems. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    _I9X9943.jpg
  • A mobula ray is off loaded at a fish market in Sri Lanka. Manta and mobula rays are still landed in Sri Lanka to supply the gill plate trade in China. The meat is consumed locally, the gills are then dried and exported to Hong Kong and China. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    IMG_8279.jpg
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  • Manta ray gills line the shop front, Guangzhou, China.
    548A5179-2.jpg
  • Shark fins for soup
    548A5115.jpg
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  • A large manta ray is pulled up along side of a boat after it's been speared for it's gills and meat in Indonesia. Photo: Paul Hilton for Manta Ray Of Hope
    MROH20.jpg
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  • A large manta ray to brought up along side after its been harpooned, off the coast of Lamakera, Solor, Indonesia. Of the handful of locations that account for the majority of manta fishers, the central Indonesian village of Lamakera is at the top and is considered the world’s largest manta fishing site. Villagers here have conducted traditional manta hunts for many generations, but with the arrival of the gill plate trade in the early 2000s, the community converted to diesel engines and transformed to a full-scale commercial fishery, landing over 1,000 mantas in a single season. Photo:Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    IMG_8776.jpg
  • A large manta ray to brought up along side after its been harpooned, off the coast of Lamakera, Solor, Indonesia. Of the handful of locations that account for the majority of manta fishers, the central Indonesian village of Lamakera is at the top and is considered the world’s largest manta fishing site. Villagers here have conducted traditional manta hunts for many generations, but with the arrival of the gill plate trade in the early 2000s, the community converted to diesel engines and transformed to a full-scale commercial fishery, landing over 1,000 mantas in a single season. Photo:Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    IMG_8771.jpg
  • A large manta ray to brought up along side after its been harpooned, off the coast of Lamakera, Solor, Indonesia. Of the handful of locations that account for the majority of manta fishers, the central Indonesian village of Lamakera is at the top and is considered the world’s largest manta fishing site. Villagers here have conducted traditional manta hunts for many generations, but with the arrival of the gill plate trade in the early 2000s, the community converted to diesel engines and transformed to a full-scale commercial fishery, landing over 1,000 mantas in a single season. Photo:Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    IMG_8768.jpg
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  • A large manta ray to brought up along side after its been harpooned, off the coast of Lamakera, Solor, Indonesia. Of the handful of locations that account for the majority of manta fishers, the central Indonesian village of Lamakera is at the top and is considered the world’s largest manta fishing site. Villagers here have conducted traditional manta hunts for many generations, but with the arrival of the gill plate trade in the early 2000s, the community converted to diesel engines and transformed to a full-scale commercial fishery, landing over 1,000 mantas in a single season. Photo: Shawn Heinrichs / Earth Tree Images
    IMG_7612.jpg
  • A large manta ray to brought up along side after its been harpooned, off the coast of Lamakera, Solor, Indonesia. Of the handful of locations that account for the majority of manta fishers, the central Indonesian village of Lamakera is at the top and is considered the world’s largest manta fishing site. Villagers here have conducted traditional manta hunts for many generations, but with the arrival of the gill plate trade in the early 2000s, the community converted to diesel engines and transformed to a full-scale commercial fishery, landing over 1,000 mantas in a single season. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    IMG_7585.jpg
  • A large manta ray to brought up along side after its been harpooned, off the coast of Lamakera, Solor, Indonesia. Of the handful of locations that account for the majority of manta fishers, the central Indonesian village of Lamakera is at the top and is considered the world’s largest manta fishing site. Villagers here have conducted traditional manta hunts for many generations, but with the arrival of the gill plate trade in the early 2000s, the community converted to diesel engines and transformed to a full-scale commercial fishery, landing over 1,000 mantas in a single season. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    IMG_7560.jpg
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  • Large manta rays are lined up at a fish market in Indonesia. Growing demand for products from the manta ray and its close cousins, the mobula or devil ray, (collectively mobulid rays) along with decreased fishery income due to the wide scale depletion of regional shark populations, has transformed small-scale subsistence mobulid ray fisheries into global commercial export businesses. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    _I9X1562.jpg
  • Gill plates, drying in Sri Lanka. Once the gills are dried and packaged. They’ll be exported to Hong Kong and China, for the Traditional Chinese Medicine market. Demand for gill rakers is the largest driver for manta and mobula ray fisheries. Anecdotes gathered through investigations and literature searches suggest that gill rakers, which consist of thin filaments that manta and mobula rays use to filter food from the water column, can treat health issues ranging from chicken pox to cancer. Some practitioners claim that gill rakers, known in China as “Peng Yu Sai,” boost the immune system and help purify the body by reducing toxins and fever and enhancing blood circulation. Others claim that gill rakers will remedy throat and skin ailments, male kidney issues, and help couples with fertility problems. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    _I9X8167.jpg
  • Gill plates, drying in Sri Lanka. Once the gills are dried and packaged. They’ll be exported to Hong Kong and China, for the Traditional Chinese Medicine market. Demand for gill rakers is the largest driver for manta and mobula ray fisheries. Anecdotes gathered through investigations and literature searches suggest that gill rakers, which consist of thin filaments that manta and mobula rays use to filter food from the water column, can treat health issues ranging from chicken pox to cancer. Some practitioners claim that gill rakers, known in China as “Peng Yu Sai,” boost the immune system and help purify the body by reducing toxins and fever and enhancing blood circulation. Others claim that gill rakers will remedy throat and skin ailments, male kidney issues, and help couples with fertility problems. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    _I9X8162.jpg
  • A mobula ray is off loaded at a fish market in Sri Lanka. Manta and mobula rays are still landed in Sri Lanka to supply the gill plate trade in China. The meat is consumed locally, the gills are then dried and exported to Hong Kong and China. Photo: Paul Hilton / Earth Tree Images
    IMG_8289.jpg
  • Pangolin scales for sale at a market in Hanoi, Vietnam
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  • Pipe fish (hai long) is closely related to the seahorse. There are an estimated 200 varieties of pipe fish, including a few varieties that live in fresh water. The typical pipe fish ranges between five and six inches in length (although some have been known to reach a height of 18 inches), with long, slender bodies encased in segmented plates and a four-sided tail. Some pipe fishes have a small hump located just behind the eyes; others have long snouts. The whole fish is used as a medicinal. It is caught, cleaned, then dried in the sun and used either whole, or as a powder.<br />
<br />
According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, pipe fish has sweet, salty and slightly warm properties, and is associated with the Kidney meridian. Its main function is to strengthen the kidney. It is also considered an aphrodisiac; the larger the pipe fish, the more potent its properties. Pipe fish is often incorporated into kidney yang tonics. Studies conducted in China suggest that pipefish may be beneficial in reducing the growth of some cancerous tumors, but this research has yet to be conducted on a large scale. . Photo: Paul Hilton / EarthTree images
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