Prosecutors say the businessman has 'developed' a taste for tiger parts and blood and smuggles in the animals from abroad
A Chinese businessman has pleaded guilty to eating at least three tigers in the past year. The
man, known only as Mr Xu from the southwestern region of Guangxi, is
said to have 'developed a taste' for tiger penis and blood. The real estate developer and several friends bought the tigers - smuggled from outside of China - and then had them slaughtered.
They were caught when police raided a 'tiger feast' held by the country's rich to show their wealth.
In China, tigers are considered symbols of courage, bravery, and strength and traditional doctors prescribe tiger bones, eyeballs, and other parts to treat a variety of ailments ranging from joint pain and poor eyesight to impotence.
The feasts are allegedly popular amongst corrupt government officials and elite businessmen who believe consuming the big cats improves performance across a wide range of activities from the boardroom to the bedroom. Often the partygoers watch the tigers being slaughtered first before sitting down to eat them.
A prosecutor in the city of Qinzhou said: 'Mr Xu has a quirky appetite for eating tiger penis and drinking tiger blood.' Another 14 defendants, including a smuggler, were tried with Mr. Xu and confessed to having killed “more than 10 tigers over the past few years.”
There is a ban in China on trading endangered species and the men are facing prison sentences of up to 10 years. There are around 4,000 tigers in captivity in the country but less than 50 in the wild.
Conservationists say that Chinese demand for tiger products — meat, bones and skins — is driving poaching in and around the country.
Tiger skins are also considered a status symbol with hundreds of rugs sold every year. A Siberian tiger skin can sell for up to £80,000.
source
They were caught when police raided a 'tiger feast' held by the country's rich to show their wealth.
In China, tigers are considered symbols of courage, bravery, and strength and traditional doctors prescribe tiger bones, eyeballs, and other parts to treat a variety of ailments ranging from joint pain and poor eyesight to impotence.
The feasts are allegedly popular amongst corrupt government officials and elite businessmen who believe consuming the big cats improves performance across a wide range of activities from the boardroom to the bedroom. Often the partygoers watch the tigers being slaughtered first before sitting down to eat them.
A prosecutor in the city of Qinzhou said: 'Mr Xu has a quirky appetite for eating tiger penis and drinking tiger blood.' Another 14 defendants, including a smuggler, were tried with Mr. Xu and confessed to having killed “more than 10 tigers over the past few years.”
There is a ban in China on trading endangered species and the men are facing prison sentences of up to 10 years. There are around 4,000 tigers in captivity in the country but less than 50 in the wild.
Conservationists say that Chinese demand for tiger products — meat, bones and skins — is driving poaching in and around the country.
Tiger skins are also considered a status symbol with hundreds of rugs sold every year. A Siberian tiger skin can sell for up to £80,000.
source
No comments:
Post a Comment