Traditional Medicine: Animal in Danger
The extraction and preparation of medicines from the animal parts is one of the major threats to the animal kingdom. In spite of insufficient scientific proofs, people of the Odisha and other parts of the country kill the animals in hope of getting some precious medicines.
Widely, pangolins have been killed for their scales which are thought to have the medicinal value to cure arthritis. Pangolins are being killed and rings are made out of the scales for the treatment of piles, if they put the ring in their fingers. In some parts of the country the powder form of the scales of the pangolin is consumed by the people to increase the aphrodisiac state of the couple, although this has not any scientific base.
The pangolins have a very typical role in the forest eco-system to control the over population of the ants and termites which are the deadliest pest for different plants. Pangolins have given protection under Schedule – I of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1971.
Not only this, there are many other animals which have been killed for various medicinal purposes in different parts of the country. They are as follows:
| Sl No. | Name of the Animal | Parts used as medicine | Parts used as medicine |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sloth bear | Bile juice | Cure of asthma & arthritis |
| 2 | Hornbill | Flesh and casque | Cure of Arthritis |
| 3 | Tiger | Teeth and claws | To avoid fear |
The Wildlife Protection Act needs to be enforced stringently before it is too late in order to conserve these animals.