IFAW Concerned About Lifting Wildlife Trade Ban in China

[Guest guest]

Jeff He IFAW China Tel: 86-10-64643599 or Fax: 86-10-64643522 jhe

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Jennifer Ferguson-Mitchell IFAW US Tel: 1-(508)-7442076

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IFAW Concerned About Lifting Wildlife Trade Ban in China

 

 

 

(Beijing ¨C 22 July 2003) -- The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW

¨C www.ifaw.org) today warned against the lifting of China¡¯s wildlife trade

ban, put in place across the country in May after the link was established

between SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and the consumption of

wildlife.

 

 

 

Only two days ago, IFAW applauded initiatives taken by the Beijing Forestry

Bureau to ban the eating of wildlife in Beijing restaurants and markets.

But, at a seminar held recently in Beijing by the State Forestry

Administration in Beijing talk of lifting the ban emerged from discussions

with the wildlife industry on how to utilize wildlife species.

 

 

 

At the seminar, more than 30 provinces submitted their shortlists of species

they intend to trade and consume. The seminar resulted in a proposed list of

approximately 54 species of animals suggested for captive breeding and

commercial exploitation.

 

 

 

¡°Eating wild animals is definitely a hazard to public health. How can we

give wildlife eating the green light, only days after the World Health

Organization lifted the travel ban to China?¡± asked Li Zhang, IFAW China

Country Director who attended the seminar.

 

 

 

¡°Have we already forgotten the link between the catastrophic SARS and the

wildlife markets and restaurants? Have we already forgotten the devastation

SARS caused to the Chinese economy and China¡¯s international image?¡± Zhang

added.

 

 

 

Wild animals in captivity tend to have a weaker immune system and are more

prone to viruses. ¡°The concentration of animals with weakened immune

systems conditions seems inherent to factory farming,¡± says noted expert

Dr. Michael Greger in one of his articles on SARS and intensive farming of

livestock.

 

 

 

SARS has dealt a heavy blow to the tourism industry in China and Asia in

general. The exact damage to the economy of the region is still being

determined. ¡°Now is the time for the responsible government departments to

make China¡¯s wildlife protection law stricter. Lifting the trade ban will

confuse the public and create obstacles for law enforcement. We simply can

not afford to allow the wildlife industry to put public health and our

country¡¯s economy in jeopardy again,¡± Zhang emphasized.

 

 

 

END

 

 

 

Li Zhang (Aster) Ph.D.

China Country Director

International Fund for Animal Welfare

1125-26 Golden Land Plaza,

32 Liang Ma Qiao Road

Chaoyang District, Beijing 100016,

P. R. China

Tel: 86-10-6464-3599, 6460-4888

Fax: 86-10-6464-3522

Email: azhang

http//:www.ifaw.org

 

The International Fund for Animal Welfare works to improve the welfare of

wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial

exploitation of animals, protecting their habitat, and assisting animals in

distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals

and to promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the

well-being of both animals and people.

 

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