Environmentalists circling shark fin soup

BEIJING - Most hotels on the Chinese mainland are staying out of controversial waters when it comes to serving shark fin soup, and are keeping the dish on their menus despite repeated calls from animal rights organizations to conserve the species from extinction.

According to a survey by the Daerwen Environmental Institute, a Beijing-based non-governmental organization, more than 98 percent of high-end hotels in Beijing have refused to stop serving shark fin soup, especially with the approach of Spring Festival - a time when the traditional delicacy is highly desired on banquet tables.

Of the 131 luxury hotels surveyed, only one hotel said the dish had been removed from its menu. Many hotels insist that shark is not a species that needs protection in China.