(CN) Endangered animals off menu

[Guest guest]

GUANGZHOU: A senior provincial official yesterday urged local residents and

restaurants to keep meat from potentially endangered wild animals off their

dinner tables after 317 cases involving the killing and trafficking of

State-protected wild animals were discovered during a five-day special

inspection campaign earlier this month.

 

Zhou Bingnan, deputy secretary-general of Guangdong provincial government, said

a total of 17,582 wild animals, weighing a total of 66.8 kilograms, were

confiscated during the campaign, which took place from December 11 to 15.

 

Of the animals confiscated, 77 were of first class State-protected species,

while the rest were of second-class species under State protection.

 

Among the State-protected wild animals discovered by authorities were monitors,

boas, pangolins and cinereous vultures, Zhou said.

 

According to Zhou, the animals were illegally caught and transported to

Guangdong from the neighbouring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Hainan, Hunan,

Jiangxi and Fujian provinces via planes, trains and coaches.

 

And a total 263 suspects were detained for further investigations, Zhou said.

 

During the campaign, a total of 10,375 law enforcement personnel inspected 1,007

bazaars, 8,651 hotels and restaurants, 69 temporary markets and 26 animal feed

lots in the whole province.

 

Two shotguns and 120 bullets were also confiscated, according to Zhou.

 

" Guangdong is China's biggest trading hub for wildlife, and protecting

State-protected wild animals is a hard work and a long term task in the

province, " Zhou said.

 

And Guangdong Province which borders Hong Kong and Macao has become a hot spot

and the focus of much concern from animal protection organizations and

associations worldwide.

 

To protect the wildlife, Guangdong provincial government will establish 10

natural protection zones in the whole province over the next 10 years to provide

a better environment for wildlife.

 

The provincial government is also considering introducing regulations to help

protect wild animals, Zhou said.

 

The Guangdong Regulations on Protecting Wild Animals are expected to come into

effect in the first half of next year after they are passed by the Provincial

People's Congress.

 

According to the regulations, those who illegally kill, sell, purchase and

traffick State-protected wildlife will be seriously punished by laws.

 

In addition to the " bird week " and " wildlife protection publicity month " which

will take place in March and November respectively, the provincial government

and the Provincial Bureau of Forestry are planning to organize more publicity

events to help raise local residents' awareness of protecting wild animals.

 

 

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12/26/2000

Author: ZHENG CAIXIONG, China Daily staff

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