New Delhi, March 16 -- After decades of successful conservation efforts and growing awareness about endangered species, poachers are once again threatening wildlife populations. Millions in East and Southeast Asia still hold misguided beliefs about the medicinal properties of bear bile, rhinoceros horns, monkey meat, and tiger parts. Despite the lack of scientific evidence supporting these claims, these products continue to be sold under the guise of traditional remedies or luxury delicacies, contributing to the illegal poaching of some of the world's most vulnerable species.

In India, the situation of endangered species, particularly for bears, has become especially dire. The sloth bear, which is native to the Indian subcontinent, faces...