How China’s demand for donkey hide is devastating African communities by Reuters

China’s demand for a traditional medicine known as e-jiao is fueling the slaughter of millions of donkeys every year, according to animal welfare groups and veterinary experts.

E-jiao, which is made using collagen extracted from donkey hides, is the vital ingredient in food and beauty products believed by many Chinese consumers to enrich the blood, improve the immune system, and prevent diseases.

A team of Reuters reporters and graphics journalists set out to examine how demand for e-jiao is rippling across communities in Africa and how the trade in hide continues to boom despite efforts by some African nations to restrict it.