Some rich people want tiger skins. Tiger body parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine. International gangs pay poor local Nepali people large amounts of money to kill the cats. The skin and bones are taken through the border to India, where the big dealers are. One big problem is that some senior officials help the mafia who are involved in the illegal buying and selling.
How are poor locals involved in the tiger trade?
They kill tigers They provide international gangs with information in exchange for money They make clothes from tiger skins They raise tigers for sale