Movie star Jackie Chan has faced many foes in his illustrious career, but now he has a new one – wildlife poaching.
He tells Max Foster that he became aware of the cause in an unexpected way – as a result of all the exercise required to keep his famous physique in top shape. People would give him tiger oil, a product extracted from tiger bones, to heal his injuries and initially he didn't question their advice. "But I never got healed. It always hurt."
Chan later met a doctor, and asked him whether tiger bone was actually effective at healing injuries. "Nonsense", the doctor replied.
As a result of these experiences, Chan has lent his support to a documentary, 'Tools of the Trade', that highlights the illegal trade of animal products. These products are commonly used in traditional Asian medicines.
He says that many people still believe that animal products have almost magical medicinal qualities. "When you eat pig's brain it makes you clever, when you eat pig's knuckle it makes you strong... No! Where are those things coming from?"
And his response to that couldn’t be clearer: "When you destroy the animals, you destroy yourself."
