It does not pay to have an exquisite ruff around your neck.
There used to be millions of Tibetan chiru antelope roaming the Himalayas.
Now there are just 50,000 to 70,000, with around 20,000 massacred a year to satisfy the vain desires of humans.
It might not be long until there are none.
The chiru is an endangered species. Although trade in their super-fine shahtoosh hair is illegal, it still goes on. Take note: it takes the pelts of three to four animals to make one delicate shawl, a far heavier price to pay than the price tag of up to $50,000 on such shawls. Many rich tai-tais in Hong Kong, though, seem to be blissfully ignorant of this and have loved to be garbed in shahtoosh.
It might not pay to do so in the future, since a Hong Kong court fined a woman $300,000 for selling these shawls at the Furama Hotel, and people risk a year in jail and a fine of $100,000 for buying one. The heavy penalty was heralded as a landmark by campaigners, showing that Hong Kong is getting tough in its battle against illegal trade in endangered species, a precedent for other countries to follow.
In tonight's Inside Story (World, 7pm) Chris Dobson highlights this illegal trade, plus the work of local animal rights campaigners in trying to raise awareness that it is wrong to wear shahtoosh.