Vlogger faces prison time, fines for killing wild boar in Beijing

A popular social media vlogger with over 300,000 followers was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay fines for illegally hunting wild boar in Beijing, authorities said.

The vlogger, identified by his surname Si, uploaded videos showcasing wild boar hunting and training hunting dogs since 2021 to attract viewers. However, in September 2023, Si and his companions were apprehended by authorities in Mentougou district while transporting a wild boar they had killed using illegal equipment, including hunting dogs, composite bows, and spears.

Liu Shuai, a prosecutor from the Mentougou District People's Procuratorate, clarified that while wild boars were removed from the national list of protected animals in June 2023, they remain classified as key protected animals within Beijing.

"Hunting is also entirely prohibited throughout the year in Beijing," Liu said. "Using illegal tools to kill wild boar constitutes a criminal offense. Poaching not only depletes wildlife resources but also damages the ecological environment. Taking responsibility for ecological damage is essential."

Further investigation revealed Si's involvement in three other illegal poaching incidents. On March 4, the court sentenced Si and his companions to six months' imprisonment and ordered them to pay 10,800 yuan ($1,500) in compensation for wildlife resource damage.

Additionally, they were required to post an apology video on their social media accounts to counteract the negative influence of online wildlife killing content. Si also created and posted two wildlife conservation awareness videos on his account.

The incident has sparked online discussions, with many users commenting on the apology video. "Lesson learned! Even though wild boars aren't protected nationally anymore, hunting them freely is still wrong," one user wrote. Another commented, "It's a shame to get sentenced for seeking attention through illegal hunting."