Chinese man gets 13 years for eating three tigers

LEIZHOU, China, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- A Chinese court upheld a 13-year jail sentence for a man convicted of purchasing and eating three endangered tigers in separate incidents.

Authorities told Qinzhou City Intermediate People's Court the man, identified by the surname Xu, organized three trips to Leizhou, Guangdong province, in 2013 for himself and 14 other people.

During each trip, Xu purchased a tiger which was then killed via electric shock, dismembered and served to the group as food. One of the incidents was recorded on a cellphone camera and the video was handed over to police.

Investigators said they searched Xu's home and found animal skeletons, a tiger's penis, and remains of endangered animals including giant geckos and a cobra.

Xu told police he paid more than $70,000 for each tiger.

Xu was sentenced in April to 13 years in prison for illegally transporting precious and endangered animals. The Qinzhou City Intermediate People's Court rejected Xu's appeal Monday and upheld the sentence.

The other 14 people involved in the incidents were given jail sentences of five to six and a half years.