According to the footage, the streamer was eating an endangered great white shark.
According to the South China Morning Post, local officials in southwest China are investigating an influencer on suspicion of devouring an endangered great white shark in a video.
According to the publication, authorities in Nanchong, Sichuan Province, China, have opened an inquiry into a video released on July 12 by a streamer known only as Tizi, who has 7.8 million followers on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok. The streamer was reportedly seen eating a 50kg fish, which some mistook for a shark, and exclaiming in Mandarin, “This is really good.”
The video no longer appears to be available for watching, but other users’ films on YouTube and Douyin show the streamer laying down next to a shark before cutting it up and grilling it. At the end of the video, she can be seen repeatedly biting into a tail-like chunk of flesh.
People who saw the initial video were concerned that the animal in the movie resembled a great white shark, an endangered species, and requested local authorities to look into the streamer.
Great white sharks are listed as a “vulnerable” species in need of protection by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and trafficking in these sharks requires a permit. Wildlife conservation rules in China make illegal commerce in wildlife items punishable by fines or imprisonment.
The Times of London stated on August 1 that Tizi was still being investigated and that Nanchong Police had determined that the animal in the video was a great white shark. The source of this information was not identified by the media. Local officials did not react right away to Insider’s request for an update on their investigation.
According to SCMP, the streamer denied purchasing the animal illegally, claiming in an interview with Sichuan news app Red Star News, “I acquired it legitimately and am looking for a lawyer.” “Those folks were babbling.” Insider was unable to access the interview.
Tizi was known for creating mukbang movies in which creators compete in extreme eating challenges, according to the SCMP. According to the site, the streamer frequently ate strange and unusual things like crocodiles and ostriches in front of the camera.
Tizi’s Douyin account appears to have been removed, and SCMP stated that the influencer deleted all of her previous videos amid considerable criticism of her from Chinese social media users. Insider was unable to get in touch with her for comment.
Influencers in China have already faced censure and fines for creating mukbang films depicting endangered animals. According to China Central Television, in May 2021, a food blogger from Hainan Province was detained for allegedly consuming an endangered sea slug.
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