Story highlights Asia, especially China, a key market for ivory trade

Legal and illegal trade in ivory exists in parallel; confusing consumers

China is taking steps to combat the trade but may be too late for elephants

Grace Ge Gabriel is Asia regional director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare. She is a guest on the latest episode of "On China," a monthly talk show on CNNi. The views expressed here are solely those of the author.

(CNN) Human beings slaughter elephants for their tusks. We kill tigers for their bones, rhinos for their horns. We hack the fins off sharks then toss their mutilated bodies alive back into the ocean.

We exploit sentient beings in the animal kingdom from land to sea, driving many to the brink of extinction.

All because of our insatiable demand for rare animal parts and products as ingredients in tonics and food, as collectables and trinkets, as investment vehicles and "status symbols".

The brutal slaughter is often done thousands of miles, sometimes continents away from the consuming market destinations.

From poaching of animals to the trafficking of their parts to consuming of their products, the bloody trail often leads to Asia, particularly China, where the demand for products from endangered species has sky-rocketed.