China’s online community has been shocked by a series of viral pictures of thousands of the freshly cut shark fins blanketing a rooftop in Hong Kong.
Gary Stokes, Southeast Asia director for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, chartered a helicopter to take aerial photos of the cruel scene. The fins were laid out high above the ground in what appears to be a move to escape public scrutiny.
Gary Stokes
Gary Stokes
Stokes told wildlife protection website The Dodo that in the last three weeks alone he had seen the arrival in Hong Kong of three 45-foot shipping containers full of shark fins, "one from Indonesia; the other two were both from the United Arab Emirates. When we look at 45-foot containers, we're talking millions of sharks."
Gary Stokes
Shark fin is a traditional ingredient for delicacies such as shark fin soup in many Asian countries, but it comes at a bloody price: Once a shark has been de-finned, the fearsome fish is thrown back in the water to die a slow, painful death.
CFP Photo
Gary Stokes
In China, shark fin consumption has declined sharply in recent years, thanks to a government crackdown on the wildlife trade and a shift in public attitudes. Official data shows that shark fin imports to the country plunged by 82 percent between 2012 and 2015.
Gary Stokes
Former NBA star Yao Ming has campaigned against eating shark fin. /CFP Photo
In 2014, the Chinese government banned the consumption, import and sale of 420 endangered species including sharks. The punishment for breaking the ban is up to 10 years in prison. Celebrities such as former NBA star Yao Ming have also joined the campaign to boycott shark fin on the dining table.
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