China to probe reports on tiger bone wine

BEIJING: Chinese authorities has ordered a probe into reported sale of tiger bone wine in Beijing and northern China and vowed to punish anyone trading in endangered animals or their products.
     
The action followed a report in Britain's The Sunday Telegraph that undercover investigators had been offered the chance to buy wine made from the crushed bones of tigers at Qinhuangdao wildlife rescue centre in Hebei province and Badlan safari park in Beijing, state media today said.
     
An investigation into the wildlife park in Qinhuangdao would be conducted, Yang Chunming, head of the Qinhuangdao Forestry Public Security Bureau, was quoted as saying by the state-run Xinhua news agency.
     
He said any case of illegal sale of the bodies or products of wild animals would be seriously dealt with.
     
"We have opened a hotline and welcome any report from the public," Kong Lingshui, head of the Beijing forestry inspection team said. But, he added that earlier investigations had not revealed any cases of selling tiger bones, ivory or rhinoceros or antelope horns.
     
Chinese laws prohibit the sale and purchase of wildlife and their products under special state protection.
     
The Sunday Telegraph had said that animal parks in China were turning tiger bones in an alcoholic "health tonic", defying international laws aimed at protecting one of the worlds most endangered species.