Two men were sentenced today to varied prison terms and fined over USD 15,000 in China for killing a Kiang, a highly endangered Tibetan wild donkey, and cooking its meat.
The people's court in Zanda County in Tibet sentenced Chen Haisheng to three years and six months in jail and his accomplice Li Ming for one year.
Chen and Li were fined 80,000 yuan (USD 13,082) and 20,000 yuan respectively.
The two chased the animal in a vehicle and then hit it on August 9. After the animal collapsed, Chen killed it with a knife, disemboweled it and took the body to their workplace to cook it for their co-workers.
The two work for an electricity company from northwest China's Shaanxi Province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Chen then shared a photo showing him posing with the dead body of the wild donkey.
The picture ignited public outrage and the two were arrested two days later.
Tibet is home to scores of rare and endangered species of animals, including black-necked cranes, Tibetan antelope, Tibetan wild ass, yaks and snow cock.
