Chinese Men Face Criminal Charges After Butchering Endangered Baby Dolphin on the Street

The poor animal, which had been cut into pieces that were put in boxes laid on the road, was confirmed to be a Chinese white dolphin, according to Guangdong’s Administration of Ocean and Fisheries.

As per Shanghaiist, the dolphin is already an endangered species with an estimated population of only 2,500. Native to the Pearl River Delta, it is under the country’s first-class protection.

The suspects, who quickly drew ire from disgusted netizens, claimed that the dolphin was already dead when they found it floating in the water. They said they were fishing.

Photos of the men selling the dolphin’s body parts on March 29 immediately went viral and prompted investigations by local police.

The latest revision of China’s Wildlife Protection Law states that hunting, killing, eating, selling or buying endangered animals is a crime, Sina noted.