According to BBC News, in Africa, where about two-thirds of the world's 53 million donkeys live, regulations vary. Exporting fur is not legal in all countries, but high demand fuels the theft of these animals. This is a scenario that may soon reach a turning point, as all African countries are preparing to ban its export.
“Between 2016 and 2019, we estimate that about half of donkeys were slaughtered in Kenya [para abastecer o comércio de peles]said Solomon Onyango, a member of the Donkey Sanctuary. We should remember that these animals play an essential role in poor rural communities, transporting people, goods and food. The increasing thefts for commercial purposes have generated a wave of discontent in poor rural communities. Kenya.
Steve, 24, was one of the biggest victims of the deal. He relied on donkeys to sell water, and when they ran out he had to stop working. One day, he left his home in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, in the morning, and did not see them. “I searched all day, all night and the next day,” he told the BBC. Three days later, he received a phone call from a friend who had found animal skeletons. “They were killed, dismembered, and had no skin,” he revealed. Steve's case spreads across Africa.
The reason is far away, on another continent, Asia: gelatin extracted from donkey skin is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine and is believed to have healing and youth-preserving properties. The peels are boiled to extract gelatin, which is made into powder, tablets, and liquids or added to foods.
With no way to support himself, Steve makes no secret of his anxiety. “I'm stranded,” he said, as he waited for help from a local organization that could provide him with some animals.
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