At least 5.9 million donkeys are slaughtered every year to meet rising demand for a traditional Chinese remedy called ejiao, figures released today by The Donkey Sanctuary show.
China's own donkey population has fallen, leading to ejiao industry agents targeting donkeys in Africa and around the world to keep up with demand.
The future of Africa’s donkeys rests on slaughter ban decision at African Union Heads of State Meeting on February 17 and 18.
Ejiao (pronounced uh-jee-ow), also known as 'colla corii asini' or 'donkey-hide glue', is a key ingredient in traditional Chinese remedies.
It is produced from the collagen extracted from donkey skin.
The collagen is mixed with herbs and other ingredients to create bars, pills or liquids for consumable goods or beauty products.
The ejiao industry has experienced significant growth over the past decade and now production cannot keep up with demand.
On the other side of the Atlantic in Brazil, where donkeys are also trafficked and killed for their skin trade in large numbers, a bill to ban the slaughter of all Equids is expected to pass the National Congress in 2024.
Doctor Calvin Solomon Onyango, director of The Donkey Sanctuary in Kenya, said: “Here in Kenya, we see first-hand the devastating impact of the donkey skin trade, it really effects the communities that rely on donkeys for their social and economic lives.”
According to data from The Donkey Sanctuary, there was an estimated 160 per cent increase in ejiao production from 2016-2021 and, based on current manufacturer reports and currently available data, the minimum number of skins could grow from 5.9 million in 2021 to reach a minimum of 6.8 million skins in 2027 if production rates stay the same.
Marianne Steele, CEO of The Donkey Sanctuary, said: “The slaughter of six million donkeys every year is an animal welfare disaster, donkeys are a lifeline to people living in some of the most challenging environments on earth.
“Donkeys have been invisible in political debate for too long.
“For this issue to have reached the highest levels of decision-making in Africa and Brazil, recognises the scale and brutality of the skin trade.”
The Donkey Sanctuary’s campaign to ‘Stop the Slaughter’ is the single biggest donkey protection initiative the charity has undertaken in over 50 years of operation.
Anyone who would like to follow and support the campaign can sign up to receive regular updates.
Donations made to the Sidmouth-based charity will improve the welfare of donkeys everywhere, including this campaign.
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