People are willing to do almost anything to go viral online, even things that may be illegal.
On Jan 28 (Saturday), a Sichuan-based influencer, who goes by Tizi online, was fined S$24,313 (RMB 125,000) by Nanchong Administration For Market Regulation.
This was due to a video she posted online, in which she cooked and ate the meat of a great white shark, an endangered species.
Source: Hongxing News via Sichuan Online
On 29 May and 2 Jun last year, Tizi posted several videos of herself posing with a shark. According to investigations by Nanchong Administration For Market Regulation, she bought the shark on Taobao for around S$1,500 (7,700 yuan).
Subsequently, on 12 Jul 2022, she posted a video of herself lying beside the shark on Kuaishou and Douyin, two popular Chinese video platforms.
The video also featured her cooking and consuming the meat of the shark. She shared with her viewers how tender the meat was.
Source: Hongxing News on Weibo
Tizi soon took down the video due to heavy criticism. According to Fengmian News, her account was suspended in late July for “violating the rules of the short video platforms”.
According to Sichuan Online, in an interview with Hongxing News, Tizi mentioned that she had bought the shark legally. In fact, she believed she had bought a hooktooth shark, which was not an endangered species.
However, Fengmian News reported that the Nanchong police found out that Tizi had actually bought a great white shark. The South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute confirmed this by conducting DNA barcoding on what was left of the shark.
China’s Endangered Species Import and Export Management Office stated that the great white shark is a highly endangered species.
As such, this meant that Tizi had violated China’s Wild Animal Conservation Law.
In a WeChat announcement from Nanchong Administration For Market Regulation, investigations began in August 2022. Tizi was suspected of buying and eating wild animals under national key protection in violation of regulations.
Authorities arrested the shark seller and fishermen involved in the case. Tizi was also issued a fine of S$24,313 (125,000 yuan) to Tizi.
According to Fengmian News, Tizi was not arrested as she was unaware that she had bought a great white shark.
She also did not know that the shark was under level-two protection at the time of purchase.
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Featured image adapted from Hongxing News via Sichuan Online and Hongxing News on Weibo.
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