A British-based wildlife group says rising Chinese demand for products made from elephant skin is leading to unlawful killing of the animals. It says the rising demand is creating an even greater threat to Asia’s wild elephants than the illegal trade for their ivory. In a report this week, the group Elephant Family said the threat to Asian elephants is greatest in Myanmar, also known as Burma. But it warned that the animals could completely disappear in half of the areas where they now live if conditions worsen. The report said the threat is greater than that from the ivory trade because hunters are targeting any elephant, and threatening those living in poorly protected areas. Elephant Family said its studies showed that the animal’s skin is ground down into fine particles and sold in China as a cure for stomach pain. It said the skin can also be shaped into beads for use in jewelry.
Title: Asian Elephants Reported at Risk from Chinese Demand for Skin
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/elephant_skin.m4a' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Asian Elephants Reported at Risk from Chinese Demand for Skin' data-article-id='3077'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='12813'>A British-based wildlife group says rising Chinese demand for products made from elephant skin is leading to unlawful killing of the animals.</span> <span data-start-time='12813' data-end-time='24500'>It says the rising demand is creating an even greater threat to Asia’s wild elephants than the illegal trade for their ivory.</span> <span data-start-time='24500' data-end-time='36938'>In a report this week, the group Elephant Family said the threat to Asian elephants is greatest in Myanmar, also known as Burma.</span> <span data-start-time='36938' data-end-time='47458'>But it warned that the animals could completely disappear in half of the areas where they now live if conditions worsen.</span> <span data-start-time='47458' data-end-time='61667'>The report said the threat is greater than that from the ivory trade because hunters are targeting any elephant, and threatening those living in poorly protected areas.</span> <span data-start-time='61667' data-end-time='75583'>Elephant Family said its studies showed that the animal’s skin is ground down into fine particles and sold in China as a cure for stomach pain.</span> <span data-start-time='75583' data-end-time='82854'>It said the skin can also be shaped into beads for use in jewelry.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/elephant_skin.jpg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=10717 data-hint-location='12813' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/what_does_threat_mean.m4a'>What does threat mean?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='intend to harm'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/intend_to_harm.m4a'><span>intend to harm</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/illegal_trade.m4a'><span>illegal trade</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/trophy_killing.m4a'><span>trophy killing</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/hunt_elephants.m4a'><span>hunt elephants</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=10718 data-hint-location='75583' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/how_can_the_skin_be_used.m4a'>How can the skin be used?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='to make jewelry'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/traded_for_ivory.m4a'><span>traded for ivory</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/to_make_jewelry.m4a'><span>to make jewelry</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/illegal_hunting.m4a'><span>illegal hunting</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/as_a_cure_for_depression.m4a'><span>as a cure for depression</span></div></div></div><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=10719 data-hint-location='36938' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/if_conditions_worsen_the_animals_could__blank_.m4a'>If conditions worsen the animals could <span class='blank'>completely disappear</span>.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='completely disappear'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/threaten_trade.m4a'><span>threaten trade</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/be_used_for_research.m4a'><span>be used for research</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/completely_disappear.m4a'><span>completely disappear</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/2547/move_to_a_different_area.m4a'><span>move to a different area</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
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