Research overview: traditional medicine demand for big cat parts

Demand for big cat parts in traditional medicine, particularly bones believed to treat ailments, is a primary driver of poaching and trade affecting tigers, leopards, lions, and others. This overview surveys research on the nature, scale, and persistence of this demand, including consumer surveys probing beliefs, motivations, and willingness to use alternatives. Studies examine how demand shifts between species as availability changes, so that pressure on one cat can spill onto others, and how rising affluence and status consumption sustain markets. Researchers evaluate interventions such as behavior-change campaigns, engagement with traditional medicine communities, and promotion of substitutes. The overview frames understanding demand as essential to addressing the root cause of trade-driven poaching, since enforcement alone cannot eliminate a threat fueled by deeply held cultural beliefs and economic incentives. It matters because reducing consumer demand may be the most durable long-term solution to big cat trafficking.