In many parts of the world, especially in Africa and Asia, wildlife is frequently poached or harvested as bushmeat, either for sustenance or for commercial purposes.

Some of them like shark fins are cooked to form delicacies or tonics to be consumed while others are sold in specialty restaurants as exotic food.

For example, in Singapore and other East-Asian cuisines, believed to be able to boost one’s immune system, the meat, skin and innards of the Chinese and the Asian Softshell Turtles (see photo below) are commonly brewed into a soup and sold in Chinese restaurants. However, both species of softshell turtles are actually listed as vulnerable on the ICUN Red List and the latter is listed on Appendix II of CITES.

In the News: In 2006, 630 Asian Softshell Turtles were seized at the Jurong Fishing Port in Singapore upon being imported from Tembilahan, Indonesia. They were worth up to SGD $50, 000 and were intended for consumption.

Interested to know more?
Learn about the exploitation of the Asian Palm Civet to produce Kopi Luwak here.