Wuhan Fully Bans the Eating of Wild Animals: A Look at the Scope of the Ban and Bans in Other Places

The COVID-19 pandemic has once again turned attention to the wild animals that end up on dining tables, and recently, Wuhan issued a document confirming a full ban on eating wild animals! So which animals fall within the scope of the ban? And what other places have issued policies to ban the eating of wild animals? Let's take a look below.

1. Wuhan's full ban on eating wild animals is confirmed!

According to the Wuhan Municipal Government website, on May 20, 2020, the "Notice on Comprehensively Banning the Eating of Wild Animals and Strictly Managing Wild Animal Protection" was issued, officially launching a comprehensive ban on eating wild animals. The policy took effect on the day it was issued and is valid for 5 years.

2. Which wild animals has Wuhan designated as falling within the scope of the ban?

Wuhan comprehensively bans the eating of the following wild animals and their products:

1. All terrestrial wild animals, including those listed in the "List of Wild Animals under Special State Protection," the "List of Terrestrial Wild Animals under State Protection That Are Beneficial or of Important Economic or Scientific Research Value," and the "List of Terrestrial Wild Animals under Special Protection in Hubei Province," terrestrial wild animals that grow and reproduce naturally in the wild, as well as terrestrial wild animals that are artificially bred or artificially raised;

2. Precious and endangered aquatic wild animals under special state protection;

3. Other wild animals whose consumption is prohibited by laws and regulations.

Animals listed in the "National Catalogue of Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resources," the "List of Artificially Bred Aquatic Wild Animals under Special State Protection," and the "List of Economically Important Aquatic Wild Animal and Plant Resources under State Protection" shall be managed in accordance with the "Animal Husbandry Law of the People's Republic of China" or the relevant laws and regulations on aquatic wild animals.

The hunting and eating of artificially bred terrestrial wild animals and precious and endangered aquatic wild animals under special state protection are also prohibited.

3. What other places strictly ban the eating of wild animals?

1. Beijing

The "Regulations on the Protection and Management of Wild Animals in Beijing" stipulate that hunting, capturing or killing wild animals listed in the catalogue is prohibited, and hunting, capturing or killing wild animals and their products for the purpose of eating is prohibited. Penalties are increased for illegal hunting, eating, utilizing, selling, transporting, carrying or mailing wild animals and their products, and penalty standards are set according to the categories of wild animals under special state protection, other wild animals under special protection, or other terrestrial wild animals. It will take effect from June 1.

2. Shenzhen

The "Regulations of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone on the Comprehensive Ban on Eating Wild Animals," which was deliberated and approved, took effect on May 1, 2020. It bans the eating of wild animals under special state protection and other terrestrial wild animals that grow and reproduce naturally in the wild; bans the eating of artificially bred and artificially raised terrestrial wild animals; and also bans the eating of animals and their products used for non-food purposes such as scientific experiments, public display and pet keeping.

3. Xi'an

On April 17, the "Decision of the Standing Committee of the Xi'an Municipal People's Congress on Comprehensively Banning the Illegal Hunting, Trading and Eating of Wild Animals" was published and took effect, comprehensively banning the illegal hunting and killing of wild animals under special state protection and special protection in Shaanxi Province, as well as other wild animals whose hunting and killing are prohibited by laws and regulations.

The eating of the following wild animals and their products is comprehensively banned: terrestrial wild animals with “important ecological, scientific and social value” under state protection and other terrestrial wild animals, including artificially bred and raised terrestrial wild animals; aquatic wild animals under special state protection; wild animals under special protection in Shaanxi Province; and other wild animals whose consumption is prohibited by laws and regulations.

Hunting, trading and transporting terrestrial wild animals that grow and reproduce naturally in the wild for the purpose of eating is comprehensively banned.

Banning the eating of wild animals does nothing but good, whether for the natural environment, species diversity or human health, so everyone must strictly comply.