Study emphasized that large-scale commercial hunting for animal products poses significant risks to biodiversity and public health, necessitating robust law enforcement measures.
A recent study led by Liang Dan, an associate research scholar at Princeton University and a Sun Yat-sen University graduate, sheds light on the devastating effects of illegal wildlife hunting in China. Published in Nature magazine, the study examined 9,256 convictions related to illegal hunting from January 2014 to March 2020.
The criminals targeted 673 species, constituting 21% of China’s terrestrial vertebrate species, including 25% of those classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The staggering total of hunted animals surpassed 3 million.
China is renowned for its rich biodiversity, hosting over 3,000 vertebrate species, with approximately 20% being unique to the country. The study uncovered that 673 wildlife species were illegally hunted during the research period, while an additional 781 species were identified as at high risk, though not documented in the verdicts.
The motivations behind illegal hunting were predominantly commercial, with the majority occurring in artificial habitats like agricultural areas. However, hunting for threatened species and mammals was more likely to occur in forests. Notably, over 2.7 million animals were illegally hunted in only 5% of the prosecuted cases, indicating the involvement of large-scale hunting operations.
The study emphasized that large-scale commercial hunting for animal products poses significant risks to biodiversity and public health, necessitating robust law enforcement measures. The research also identified hotspots for illegal hunting, mainly concentrated in East and Central China. These regions require heightened law enforcement efforts to curb large-scale animal poaching.
Furthermore, socioeconomic analysis revealed that prefecture-level cities with easier access to urban markets experienced higher rates of poaching.
The study recognized China’s substantial strides in combating illegal wildlife hunting, including the full implementation of a ban on consuming wild animals in February 2020. In February 2021, the national key protected wildlife list was revised to include 517 additional species, further enhancing conservation efforts.
While acknowledging China’s progress, the study advocates for additional measures, such as including heavily hunted threatened species on the national key protected wildlife list and restricting the sale of hunting equipment. Moreover, the researchers encourage public awareness campaigns to reduce the demand for wild animal products.
Professor David P. Edwards from the University of Cambridge commended the study’s contribution to addressing the global issue of illegal wildlife trade, emphasizing the importance of identifying species at high risk of hunting for conservation efforts.
The study’s findings provide a crucial resource for authorities to monitor overlooked animals vulnerable to poaching. In conclusion, the study calls for continued efforts to combat illegal wildlife hunting and protect biodiversity in China.