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North Korea's Starving Population Turns to Eating Endangered Wildlife
7 Oct
Summary
- North Koreans resorting to eating badgers, tigers, and other wild animals
- Endangered species like Siberian tigers and Amur leopards being hunted
- Illegal wildlife trade across border to China emerging due to economic collapse
According to a study conducted by British and Norwegian scientists, North Korea's population has been forced to turn to eating endangered wildlife like badgers and tigers to survive. The study, published in the journal Biological Conservation, reveals that the collapse of the communist government's state distribution system in the late 1990s, which led to a devastating famine, has driven a thriving black market trade in wildlife products.
Researchers interviewed 42 North Korean defectors and found that almost every mammal species larger than a hedgehog is being captured for food, skins, furs, and traditional medicine. This includes highly protected species like the Siberian tiger and Amur leopard, which are believed to have crossed the border from China. The illegal wildlife trade has threatened to undermine China's efforts to restore the Siberian tiger population in its northeastern provinces.
The researchers warn that the unsustainable exploitation of wildlife in North Korea poses a serious risk, potentially leading to the extinction of key species and the depletion of the country's natural landscapes. With North Korea not being a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the situation remains a major concern for conservationists.
