A Chinese farmer discovered gold particles in a duck's stomach while slaughtering the bird, sparking a viral sensation with over 10 million views on social media.
According to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post on the 6th (local time), a man surnamed Liu from Longhui County in China's Hunan Province found glittering particles in a duck's stomach in February. Testing confirmed the particles were genuine gold weighing approximately 10 grams, valued at around 12,000 yuan ($1,800) at local market prices.
Liu had been raising ducks near the Tianshui River, an area historically known for gold mining. He explained the ducks likely ingested gold-bearing sediment from the riverbed along with their regular feed. Other villagers said they had previously found gold in duck stomachs, but never in such large quantities.
The Longhui County Natural Resources Bureau stated that "further appraisal by professional institutions is needed," but added that "the possibility is substantial, as residents discovered more than 10 grams of gold while panning sand in the same river last year." The Tianshui River experienced a gold mining boom from the 1970s to the 1990s before the government banned private mining operations.
Ownership questions have also emerged. Under Chinese law, all underground resources including gold belong to the state. Authorities have yet to determine how to classify ownership of gold found inside a duck's stomach.
