Four Chinese farmers have been sentenced to jail terms of up to 15 years after being convicted of poisoning and killing 68 endangered white swans under state-level protection.

White swans living at the Pinglu Yellow River Wetland in Pinglu County of north China's Shanxi Province.[file photo]

The sentence was handed down at the People's Court of Pinglu County in Yuncheng City, north China's Shanxi Province, on Tuesday.

Li Xuejia, Tan Haijun, Ding Hongqi and Meng Zhanfeng, all from the Puzhou Township in Yongji City, Shanxi, were also ordered to each pay a fine of 20,000 to 50,000 yuan (2,941 to 7,353 U.S. dollars).

The court sentenced two principals, Li and Tan, to 15 years in jail, Ding 13 years and Meng 12 years.

Another farmer, Tan Zhongyi, also from Puzhou, is also alleged to have illegally hunted the endangered swan with the four farmers, but he has yet to be arrested, the court heard.

The court heard that the five men used poison to kill white swans on the Yellow River in Pinglu on Jan. 5, and the four were apprehended by police on Jan. 7 when they returned to the river to collect the dead birds.

The five were accused of poisoning and killing a total of 121 swans, the court heard. Li, Ding, Meng and Tan Haijun killed 68 and Tan Zhongyi allegedly killed 43 swans.

Veterinary doctors saved another 10 poisoned swans and returned them to the wild.

(Xinhua News Agency May 1, 2009)