Procuratorates across the country have been cracking down on wildlife crimes in accordance with laws and the Decision on the Comprehensive Banning of Illegal Wildlife Trade, Elimination of the Bad Habits of Eating Wildlife, and Effective Protection of People’s Life, Health and Safety (關于全面禁止非法野生動物交易、革除濫食野生動物陋習、切實保障人民群眾生命健康安全的決定) promulgated by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (the NPC) in Feb. 2020.
From January to September this year, Chinese procuratorates prosecuted 15,154 people for wildlife crimes, an increase of 66.2% year-on-year.
Such crimes have the following characteristics. Firstly, the types of crimes are relatively limited, mainly including the crimes of illegal fishing of aquatic products, illegal hunting, and illegal purchase, transportation, and sale of precious and endangered species of wildlife, and products made from precious and endangered species of wildlife. Secondly, crimes incurs in a wide range of areas. Thirdly, the wild animals involved are in a wild range of species. Fourthly, the online transaction has gradually become an important part in the underground wildlife transaction.
In order to combat such crimes, Chinese procuratorates have stepped up efforts to promote the legal instruments through cases, especially in areas such as nature reserves, wildlife migratory sites, habitats, etc., and traditional media and new media will be used to publicize laws and regulations relating to wildlife protection.
For more about China's wildlife conservation, please click here.
For more about China's procurations, please click here.
Contributors: Yanru Chen 陳彥茹
