Woman eating pangolins under investigation
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File photo of a pangolian. [Photo: hudong.com]

An investigation is underway in Shenzhen after pictures showing a woman eating protected animals were discovered online by local officials, thepaper.cn reports.

Local police said that according to the pictures posted on the woman's Weibo account, she had eaten protected animals at least twice in 2011 and 2012.

The endangered animals that she said to have eaten include pangolins, snakes and swans.

The woman has deleted all of the messages involving protected animals that were posted on her Weibo account.

Another similar investigation is also underway in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the southwest of the country.

It comes after pictures of a pangolin meat banquet posted on Weibo went viral last week.

Both incidents triggered public concern for Chinese pangolins, one of the eight species of pangolins which are considered as the world's most hunted animal.

China Daily reports that the population of Chinese pangolins was estimated at 50,000 to 100,000 in 2003, having declined by up to 94 percent since the 1960s.

Also called scaly anteaters, pangolins are increasingly victims of illegal wildlife crime - mainly in Asia and in growing amounts in Africa - and are hunted for their scales and meat.

In China, those who catch, kill, buy or sell pangolins could face a jail term of over 10 years plus fines.

Conservation groups have suggested that the government upgrade pangolins from a second-class to a first-class national protected species.

Author： 　　　Source：CRI　　　 Editor：Yang Fan