Six men have been indicted in central Vietnam for indulging in a rather unorthodox delicacy — a rare Langur monkey — which sits on the endangered species list. Worse still, the men allegedly then broadcast their feast live on Facebook.
The Singapore-based Straits Times has reported that the indiscriminately carnivorous six are aged between 35 and 59 years old, and broadcast themselves feeding on the hairy little primate last month.
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The men have reportedly confessed to ignoring Vietnam's wildlife protection laws for "endangered" animals, which includes the Langur monkey. An inspector who was tasked with seeking out the perpetrators told AFP news that "it took time for us to figure out the suspects involved" after they had managed to evade the eye of law enforcement for a few weeks after the incident.
Wildlife enthusiasts are likely to be further disappointed upon finding out that the six men did not even bother to hunt the monkey themselves, but purchased it from a local hunter for 1.1 million Vietnamese dong, which equates to about $48. It is not clear whether the monkey was purchased dead or alive.
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The incident comes as Vietnamese authorities are trying to convince the populous at large to stop consuming dog meat due to the risk of contracting rabies. Hanoi's vice mayor, reportedly declared that eating dog emotionally disturbs foreign tourists, and "negatively impacts the image of a civilised and modern capital."
Unfortunately it appears that some took his advice the wrong way, and saw buried within it a hidden message which said: kill and eat endangered monkeys instead.
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