The growing popularity of traditional Chinese medicine is ravaging global populations of donkeys, tigers and other many other animals, conservation groups say.

Poachers target various species for their organs and treatments are offered for a variety of ailments, from arthritis to erectile dysfunction.

The traditional Chinese medicine industry has rocketed to be worth £46 billion a year because of homegrown demand and an increasing interest in the West for alternative treatments.

Beijing was buoyed last May when the World Health Organization controversially included the ancient folk remedies for the first time in its influential compendium, which categorises thousands of diseases and medical diagnoses.

The decision could lead to more mainstream recognition of traditional Chinese medicine, although the WHO has said it did not mean official endorsement of the science behind it or condonement of the use of animal parts.