The slaughter of donkeys in the north-eastern Brazilian state of Bahia became subject to new regulations in June 2016 as part of a deal between Brazil and China.<\/p>\n
In China, donkeys are sought for meat but more so for their skins, which are boiled to produce ejiao<\/em>, gelatine used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat everything from ageing to lack of libido in women.<\/p>\n 4 million<\/p>\n China produces 1.8 million<\/a> skins each year but consumes 4 million and, with demand rising, the country has been seeking deals with various developing countries.<\/p>\n But in November 2018 animal rights groups won a legal case to ban the slaughter of donkeys in Bahia, adding Brazil to the list of several countries<\/a> to have done so.<\/p>\n The June 2016 order regulating the slaughter of donkeys, mules and hinnies throughout Bahia, triggered a heated legal, ethical and economic battle.<\/p>\n On the face of it, the document was intended to solve the problem of donkeys causing traffic accidents and spreading disease.<\/p>\n Although an important historical symbol of Brazil\u2019s Northeast, in recent years donkeys have been largely abandoned in favour of motorcycles<\/a>. The local department of transit in Cear\u00e1 state collects abandoned animals in order to prevent road accidents. Over the most recent New Year holiday<\/a>, 115 donkeys had to be collected.<\/p>\n
\nThe number of skins China consumes each year
\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\nThe end of the donkey in the Northeast?<\/h2>\n
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