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A Chinese vlogger was fined 125,000 yuan (approximately $18,500) for cooking and eating an endangered baby great white shark during a livestream.
In the video clip uploaded last year, the influencer, identified by officials as Jin and known as Tizi in her videos, can be seen cutting up the 6.6-foot shark and boiling it with various spices. She then eats the roasted tail of the baby shark and describes it as “yummy.”
The viral video was met with backlash, with viewers doubting that the shark was bought legally.
According to officials in Nanchong, Sichuan, Jin broke wildlife protection laws when she consumed the shark in April 2022.
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Nanchong authorities said DNA tests from tissue remnants of the animal confirmed that it was a white shark, which is protected under Chinese law.
Jin reportedly bought the shark on Alibaba’s Taobao shopping platform for 7,700 yuan (approximately $1,140).
Two other individuals involved in catching and selling the baby shark were also arrested.
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In February 2020, China previously imposed a ban on the trade and consumption of wild animals in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent the spread of zoonotic diseases.
The illegal possession and the unlawful trade of wildlife products in the nation can lead to fines or a prison sentence.
The ban led to a crackdown on influencers streaming mukbang videos involving endangered animals.
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Jin livestreams on Chinese platforms Douyin and Kuaishou, where she has attracted millions of followers for her bold food choices. She is known for consuming rarely eaten animals, such as ostriches and crocodiles.
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