A man from Liaoning Province, China, in 2021, after drinking heavily, passed by a park and heard the calls of Red-crowned Cranes. Suddenly feeling annoyed and agitated, he believed the “birds were mocking him.” In a fit of rage, the man chased and beat the Red-crowned Cranes with a stick, resulting in the deaths of over 10 cranes and injuries to some.
According to the Legal Daily, the incident occurred in a park in Zhongshan District, Dalian City in 2021. When the staff arrived for work, they discovered the mutilated bodies of more than 10 Red-crowned Cranes scattered around the aviary, prompting them to immediately report to the police.
Subsequently, the Zhongshan Branch of the Dalian Public Security Bureau identified a man surnamed Xiao as a major suspect and summoned him for questioning and criminal detention in April 2023. The prosecutor handling the case stated that Xiao had been administratively penalized three times in the past for intentional destruction of property, harming others, and theft. Xiao’s neighbors and relatives stated that his mental state was unstable, especially after drinking, making it difficult for him to control his emotions, often resulting in acts of vandalism, disturbance of the peace, and interference with others.
Xiao admitted that on the night of the incident, after drinking alcohol, he went to the park nearby and heard the birds calling, which made him feel agitated, believing that the birds were “mocking him.” Out of frustration, Xiao climbed over the wall into the park and began beating the Red-crowned Cranes with a wooden stick, causing the deaths and injuries of several cranes.
After investigation and evidence collection, the prosecution confirmed that the killed Red-crowned Cranes were imported from Cuba, identified as non-native wildlife in mainland China, and should be considered second-class protected animals, with a value of 280,000 yuan (approximately 43,660 USD).
The first psychiatric evaluation showed that Xiao had full criminal responsibility at the time of the incident, but a week later, he was hospitalized for treatment due to bipolar disorder. The second evaluation showed that Xiao was indeed affected by alcohol “harmful use,” but at the time of the incident, he was in a period of remission from bipolar disorder. Although his emotional fluctuations were affected, his ability to recognize and control was normal, demonstrating full criminal responsibility.
The Zhongshan District People’s Procuratorate filed charges against Xiao for endangering precious and endangered wildlife. Ultimately, Xiao was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 10,000 yuan (approximately 1,556 USD), while also being ordered to compensate the affected enterprise with 280,000 yuan (approximately 43,660 USD).