Food blogger fined for buying and eating a great white shark

A food blogger has been given a 125,000 CNY ($18,500 or £15,065) fine for posting a video online of herself illegally buying, preparing, and eating a great white shark.

The woman who known online as Tizi, was identified as Jin Moumou by officials, and say she reportedly purchased the great white shark back in April 2022 for 7,700 yuan (£928) from Alibaba’s Taobao online shopping site

The statement from officials in Nanchong, in the southwestern province of Sichuan also detailed that a few months later in July, a video was posted on social media sites Douyin and Kuaishou, of the content creator posing beside the shark (that was roughly six foot long) in front of a shop.

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Footage then shows how the shark was sliced, marinated and barbecued, while the head was cooked in a broth before Tizi ate the meat.

“It may look vicious, but its meat is truly very tender,” Tizi said in the viral clip as she ripped parts of the shark meat.

DNA test have since been conducted on the leftover tissue which confirmed that it was a great white shark, a species that is protected under the Wild Animal Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China.

The species is also classed as "vulnerable" (a classification below endangered) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Authorities say the video was in violation of this law while those in illegal possession of a white shark can also lead to a prison term of from five to 10 years.

An investigation began last August into Tizi who has over eight million followers following the outrage from the viral video.

Though Tizi told local media she purchased the shark legally, however the local agriculture bureau said her claim was “inconsistent with the facts."

As well as Tizi being fined, two others have been arrested who were involved in catching and selling the shark.

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