A chef who has refused to kill any protected animals has lost his ability to work and remains unemployed, the Legal Daily reports.

Zhang Xingguo, who formerly worked in northern China, was granted the title of "green cook" by China Wild Life Conservation Association in 2004, after refusing employers' requests to cook animals on protected lists.

He says he was fired by employers a dozen times over eight years, while he resigned more than 20 times after he failed to persuade employers to set animals free.

Having become famous nationwide, he has received several offers with high salaries. Yet he chose to quit the jobs when he had noticed that his employer has advertised his name to attract customers, but then continued killing protected animals.

He now lives a meagre life, he says, existing on the goodwill of his parents.

(China Daily March 17, 2004)