(CN) Illegal wildlife traders

[Guest guest]

China Daily

 

http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2003-04-29/113583.html

 

New campaign hunts down illegal wildlife traders

(FU JING)

04/29/2003

 

Wildlife in China are expected to be better protected thanks to a tough

campaign carried out by forestry police earlier this month.

More than 170,000 forestry police took part in the campaign between April 10

and 19, according to information released yesterday.

 

The State Forestry Administration and the Ministry of Public Security

jointly organized the campaign to deter anyone considering illegally

killing, selling, buying or trafficking in State-protected wildlife.

 

An administration official surnamed Fan, who refused to give his full name,

told China Daily that police inspected some 14,900 animal fairs and 67,800

hotels and restaurants across the county.

 

During the nationwide campaign codenamed Spring Thunder, 838,500 endangered

animals were confiscated. About 45,000 of them were wildlife with

first-class State protection.

 

" We have scared those involved in illegal wildlife activities and, at the

same time, have greatly improved the public's awareness of wildlife

protection during the campaign, " said Fan.

 

Police arrested 1,423 criminal suspects for further investigation, the

official added.

 

Fan said South China's coastal province of Guangdong made outstanding

achievements during the campaign.

 

Li Ronggen, deputy governor of the provincial government, 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.

 

The deputy governor said 2,465 of the 59,080 wild animals confiscated in

Guangdong during the campaign were dead. Of the animals confiscated, 138

were species with first-class State protection, while 7,973 were species

with second-class State protection.

 

Among the wild animals with State protection discovered by the Guangdong

authorities were monitor lizards, boas and pangolins.

 

The animals were illegally caught and transported to Guangdong from the

neigh-bouring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region or Fujian, Hainan, Hunan or

Jiangxi provinces by plane, train or coach.

 

Forty-seven suspects were detained for further investigation, Li said.

 

During the campaign, 10,569 law-enforcement personnel inspected 5,500

bazaars, hotels and restaurants, 55 animal fairs and hundreds of animal feed

lots throughout the province.

 

To further protect wildlife, the Guangdong provincial government plans to

establish 10 nature protection zones by 2010.