(CN) Wildlife health foods banned

[Guest guest]

China Daily

by FU BIAN

06/29/2001 http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/

 

The protection of wildlife is expected to be bolstered as the Ministry of

Health yesterday reiterated that health food producers are forbidden to use

protected animals and plants as raw materials.

" The wildlife on the State list of rare animals and plants is forbidden to

be used as ingredients of health food, " the ministry said in a circular

released yesterday to its provincial branches across the nation.

 

The ministry also forbids using rare animals and plants raised by people as

constituents of such tonic products.

 

The circular said the purpose of the law is to curb poaching and prevent the

extinction of some forms of wildlife, whose blood, bone or other parts are

traditionally believed to benefit human health.

 

The ministry is also poised to strengthen international wildlife protection.

If imported health foods contain protected wildlife products, traders should

apply for approval from China's agricultural, foreign trade and customs

departments.

 

China has set up more than 1,270 nature reserves, occupying 12 per cent of

its territory.

 

The dramatic increase in the area devoted to nature reserves is only part of

China's strenuous efforts to protect rare wild animals and plants.

 

China has some of the most abundant wildlife resources in the world.

 

With its diverse natural and geological conditions, China is home to more

than 100 species of rare animals and hundreds of rare plants peculiar only

to China. Using parts of rare animals as medicines or health food has long

been banned, according to present-day laws and previous regulations.