The scourge of the skin poachers: Hideous sight of a butchered elephant exposes the sick trade in animals' hides to feed soaring demand in China

I can't look at the pics. I can't read the article. Why doesn't someone maim and skin the people who do this or buy this? Why doesn't China/Asia try to bring their people in to the 21st century?

Firstly, if its not ILLEGAL to hunt, slaughter, skin and kill our planets endangered species, IT SHOULD BE!As for China (a nation of appalling human rights, let alone those of animals), then a trade embargo should be enforced by EVERY nation and NOW.ALL nations should join as one in condemning this country's outrageous attack on the wildlife WE ARE ALL responsible for protecting.

I really can't comprehend any 'person' that believes such ridiculous ideas. That any magical favour, healing, status or wealth can come off the back of slaughtering a living breathing creature. I despair at the world we live in. Life is cheap, brutalising, terrorising and murdering others has become a way of life. Evil is defined as an absence of love. There is no shame in loving people and the world around you enough to not bring harm. Sorry it just deeply truly makes me very sad.

Poachers should suffer a long painful death.

This type of medicine has no place in the 21st century. Should be banned. Why do some cultures insist on living in the dark ages.

Unbearable and despicable.

What is it with these split links, any part of any endangered animal has got to be good medicine, are they really that backward?

dear god I may be ill... how does anyone do this?

... people in China needs to look WITHIN to realise where they are wrong in order to change to the mentality to stand against all kinds of cruelty against animals. To accept this kind of barbaric actions against animals is really sick beyond words. Sadly this is also common in the West in countries like Norway (slaughtering of dolphins etc.) and Spain with bull fighting.

China again

I just cried when I saw the demise of this once great animal.

This breaks my heart! They a magnificent beautiful creatures and the poachers need to be stopped! CHINA you look like you don't really care! Surely you do!!!! Stop the killing!

Whoever buys this crap should be punished as well.

Chinese once again

Disgusting

This is truly despicable! It must be stopped NOW ! These beautiful intelligent animals must be better protected and encouraged to breed before it is too late and we hunt and kill them to extinction.

Disgusting!! Time to put pressure on China!!

Beautiful animals killed for tacky rubbish, can these people stoop any lower? It's depressing.

I buy a lot from China, but will now boycott them until this stops.

Bring in bounty hunters to resolve this heinous crime - no tears will shed if killers get their head blown off.