Almost 6 million donkeys are slaughtered each year for their hides, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine, and the figure could rise to 7 million by 2027, according to the NGO Donkey Sanctuary.
The British NGO is calling for a ‘moratorium’ on this trade, which is decimating the species in Africa in particular.
Donkey hides are exported to China to make a traditional remedy known as ejiao, used to improve blood circulation, slow down ageing, and stimulate libido and fertility.
Once reserved for emperors, this product is now popular with the Chinese middle class and represents a market worth more than $5 billion (about €4.5 billion).
To fuel this trade, some 5.9 million donkeys are slaughtered globally each year, and this figure could reach 6.8 million by 2027.
China, whose donkey population has collapsed in recent decades, falling from 11 million in 1992 to 1.5 million in 2023, has turned to Africa, in particular, to meet demand.
This constantly growing market has turned donkeys into commodities, fuelling a commercial epidemic that particularly affects the activities of women and children, according to a report by Donkey Sanctuary.
"Illegal networks operate across the continent, often with impunity, stealing and slaughtering donkeys at night," the report warns.
In line with the African Union, which banned the trade in donkey hides across the continent in February 2024, Donkey Sanctuary is also calling for a moratorium on the trade.
