FW:(India) Eastern libidos boosted by dolphin's blood

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Eastern libidos boosted by dolphin's blood

India

 

13 June 2002 10:40

 

The poaching of rare turtles and dolphins off India's

eastern coast and in its rivers for their aphrodisiac

value in Chinese and Hong Kong markets has increased

over the past two years, according to scientists and

police.

 

RK Sinha, chairman of the Asian River Dolphin

Committee in Patna in the eastern state of Bihar, said

huge numbers of turtles and dolphins were being

poached from the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers every

day.

 

" A myth about turtles and dolphins having some sort of

aphrodisiac value is leading to their unnecessary

slaughter in Indian waters, " said Sinha.

 

" Scientific research has so far not been able to back

up any such claims. Yet, turtles and dolphins are

being killed for their meat. Even the turtle shells

have been given false medicinal properties. "

 

A state district police official said it was almost

impossible to clamp down on the poaching because

traders offered local fishermen large sums of money

for their catch and exported the turtle and dolphin

meat to China and Hong Kong.

 

" The courts have ordered us to take steps for the

protection of turtles and dolphins and even though an

alert has been sounded, it is not an easy task to

check poaching which is rampant in the Ganges River

during early summer, " said the police official.

 

The police said most of the poaching takes place

between April and June when there is less rain in the

Indian subcontinent and the water levels in the rivers

run low, making spotting the dolphins easy.

 

Bheekhan Manjhi, a local fisherman in the Ganges River

delta said he had no other means of livelihood except

to hunt the animals.

 

" I only kill dolphins to feed my wife, four kids and

old mother. We have no other source of income, " said

Manjhi. " I learnt fishing from my father. "

 

According to fishermen, local traders pay them fifty

rupees (roughly one dollar) for a kilogram of turtle

or dolphin meat.

 

" Turtle meat is also in great demand here as people

believe it cures tuberculosis and asthma, " said

Manjhi.

 

Another fisherman, Ashok said that he supplied his

catch of turtles and dolphins to local traders, who

always ask for more than can be supplied.

 

" The traders have told us that they can accommodate

any amount of supply as there is a huge demand for

dolphin fat and meat. Each part of the turtle is also

dried and sold in the markets of China, Hong Kong and

other South East Asian countries, " he said.

 

" We have been told our turtles and dolphins are a

miracle cure for sexual problems and male impotency. "

 

Even a seven year jail sentence for fishermen caught

poaching has not put the brakes on India's flourishing

illegal dolphin and turtle trade. -

Sapa-AFP

From

MAil & Guardian on line

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