Protecting the animals of this planet can become a game of espionage and undercover work, which is exactly what it became for activists Alex Hofford and Paul Hilton as they pursued justice for over-fished (and illegally fished) endangered species in China. In 2010, Hofford and Hilton had been investigating a China-based fish slaughterhouse known for illegally capturing and killing whale sharks, among other rare and endangered species, and distributing their parts worldwide, according to the New York Times. To expose the operation, they notified Chinese conservation services, a "shocked" Chinese media, and released a report of their findings this week.

To gain access to the plant, Hilton and Hofford disguised themselves as buyers in three separate visits a the warehouse located in the Zhejiang Province on the country's eastern seaboard. Once inside, however, they were surprised by how non-secretive the operation actually was, according to the Times.

"It's a lot of carnage in one place, a lot of damage. It was pretty overwhelming," Hilton said. "We walked into the courtyard, and there were shark fins everywhere. I didn't think it would be so blatant."

According to their report, about 600 whale sharks per year (worth about $30,000 per shark, as per the Times) are being processed by an outfit called the China Wenzhou Yueqing Marine Organisms Health Protection Foods Company, a name featuring several extra words most likely added to cast away suspicion. Not all of its services are even related to foods, such as the distribution of fins, skin, and oils.

"It was shocking. You go in there and they were laid out on the floor, all chopped up," Hofford said. "You nearly want to vomit. When you have swum with them, it's very upsetting."

Hofford and Hilton counted at least three species of sharks (whale sharks, great white sharks, and basking shars) categorized as endangered by the IUCN and protected by the Chinese Government that were being farmed illegally by the nine-word company.

"Their photographs, the detail, the amount of time they spent doing it, the specific names they have, it seems very concrete," said May Mei of the conservationist group WildAid, which, with the help of former NBA star Yao Ming and among its other goals, aims to end the practice of shark fin soup, according to the Times.

"Our control system just isn't good enough. And we have to teach fishermen what's a protected species and what's not. Supervision at all levels has to improve, including at customs departments," Mei said.

Plus, at $31,000 per whale shark (they can reach 40 feet in length), the reward would seem to far outpace the risk anyway.