China's rich are looking for new pastimes, including hunting. The country has been a major exporter of exotic animals and plants since the 19th century, but it is now facing an acute shortage in its animal resources. “Besides drinking Bordeaux wine and playing golf, hunting has been taken up by some high-net-worth individuals as a way to show off their wealth and power,” said Wolfgang Georg Arlt, of Hamburg-based research centre China Outbound Tourism Research Institute. Gun ownership is strictly controlled in China, and hunting is limited to those with permission.
China's rich are looking for new pastimes, including hunting. They are heading to places such as Texas, Russia and Canada – where they are paying up to $50,000 to kill polar bears. “Besides drinking Bordeaux wine and playing golf, hunting has been taken up by some high-net-worth individuals as a way to show off their wealth and power,” said Wolfgang Georg Arlt, of Hamburg-based research centre China Outbound Tourism Research Institute. Gun ownership is strictly controlled in China, and hunting is limited to those with permission.