Saturday, August 26, 2006

China Puts Price on Head of Rare Animals


The Chinese government is inviting bids from foreign tourists for the right to hunt endangered species under a kill-to-conserve campaign, a newspaper reported today.

In the first auction, which will take place on Sunday in Chengdu, capital of the south-western province of Sichuan, the starting price for a permit to shoot a wild yak, of which there are fewer than 15,000 remaining in the world, is $40,000 (£21,000). Bids to bag an argali (wild sheep prized for their massive spiral horns) begin at $10,000. Wolves - the only predator on the list - may go for as little as $200.

The Beijing Youth Daily said this was the first time China had auctioned hunting licences, a move that looks likely to provoke controversy.

See full Article.