Poachers slaughter protected bears

Local authorities in Jilin province are searching for the bodies of five bears thought to have been poisoned by poachers for their gall and paws, which fetch high prices on the black market.

Hu Donglin, a writer specializing in wildlife stories, raised the alarm when he revealed on his micro blog on Sunday that he had found the bodies of five of the national-level protected animals on the northern slope of Changbai Mountain.

"The authorities are investigating this vile crime and trying to find the poachers. That means all my efforts were worthwhile," said Hu.