'Noah's Ark' of 5,000 rare animals found floating off the coast of China - Guardian

[Eugene]

'Noah's Ark' of 5,000 rare animals found floating off the coast of China

· Cargo of abandoned vessel destined for restaurants
· Illegal trade drives species closer to extinction

Jonathan Watts in Beijing
Saturday May 26, 2007
The Guardian

Endangered, hunted, smuggled and now abandoned, 5,000 of the world's rarest
animals have been found drifting in a deserted boat near the coast of China.

The pangolins, Asian giant turtles and lizards were crushed inside crates on
a rickety wooden vessel that had lost engine power off Qingzhou island in the
southern province of Guangdong. Most were alive, though the cargo also
contained 21 bear paws wrapped in newspaper.

According to conservation groups, the haul was discovered on one of the world's
most lucrative and destructive smuggling routes: from the threatened jungles of
south-east Asia to the restaurant tables of southern China.

-snip-

According to the local media, the cargo included 31 pangolins, 44 leatherback
turtles, 2,720 monitor lizards, 1,130 Brazilian turtles as well as the bear paws.
Photographs showed other animals, including an Asian giant turtle.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,2088589,00.html

[sam sarrha]

1. spread a rumor that a Republicans gall bladder will cure impotence, we'll be rid of them for ever..!

tell them 50 cock roaches will give em a hard on for 3 hours and make cock roaches extinct in a couple of years
..

[Delphinus]

4. I love your idea!! n/t

[shenmue]

2. Lying bastards

What the hell is wrong with these people? Killing off some of the rarest animals on the Earth, just so some arrogant guys can feel better about their luck or their sex lives? Talk about selfish assholes.

[eppur_se_muova]

3. And how many like this have gotten through?

I'm sick to death of this weird fetish for the carcasses of "exotic" animals. Grow out of the Stone Age, people!

[4dsc]

5. Chinese are killing the planet

Let's face, the biggest threat to the world is China!! China has no regard of the world's environment or its fintie resources!!