Wildlife Protection Law amendment work has begun, don't eat just anything

Pangolins have been identified as an intermediate host of COVID-19, and wild game has once again become a hot topic of discussion. And the recent news that Wildlife Protection Law amendment work has begun instantly drew widespread praise, and to those who love eating “wild game,” there is only one thing to say: don't eat just anything!

1. Wildlife Protection Law amendment work has begun!

1. Situation

Wang Ruihe, director of the Economic Law Office of the Legislative Affairs Commission, said that the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress has deployed and started the amendment work of the Wildlife Protection Law, plans to add the amendment of the Wildlife Protection Law to the Standing Committee's legislative work plan for this year, and accelerate the amendment process of laws such as the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law.

2. Measures

Further improve the legal system concerning wildlife, strengthen law enforcement supervision, severely crack down on illegal wildlife trade, resolutely eliminate the bad habit of indiscriminately eating wild animals, and strengthen source control of major public health security risks.

2. What problems still exist in the current Wildlife Protection Law?

Wang Ruihe, director of the Economic Law Office of the Legislative Affairs Commission, said: First, relevant supporting provisions have not been issued and improved in a timely manner, and specific measures, lists, standards and technical procedures concerning wildlife protection have not yet been issued and improved in a timely manner.

Second, supervision, inspection and law enforcement are insufficient, and some illegal wildlife trading markets have not been resolutely banned or closed; in many places, even the wild game market is rampant and the related industry is very large in scale, constituting a major hidden danger to public health security.

Third, the legislative purpose of the Wildlife Protection Law is mainly to protect precious and endangered wild animals, and it adopts the internationally common list-based protection approach.

3. What penalties are there for illegally hunting wild animals?

1. Hunting non-national key protected wild animals in no-hunting areas, during no-hunting periods, or using prohibited tools or methods, where a fine is imposed in accordance with Article 32 of the Wildlife Protection Law, shall be executed according to the following provisions:

(1) If there is hunting catch, a fine of no more than 8 times the value of the hunting catch shall be imposed;

(2) If there is no hunting catch, a fine of no more than 2000 yuan shall be imposed.

2. Hunting non-national key protected wild animals without obtaining a hunting permit or without hunting in accordance with the provisions of a hunting permit, where a fine is imposed in accordance with Article 33 of the Wildlife Protection Law, shall be executed according to the following provisions:

(1) If there is hunting catch, a fine of no more than 5 times the value of the hunting catch shall be imposed;

(2) If there is no hunting catch, a fine of no more than 1000 yuan shall be imposed.

3. Destroying the main habitats and breeding places of national or local key protected wild animals in nature reserves or no-hunting areas, where a fine is imposed in accordance with Article 34 of the Wildlife Protection Law, shall be executed according to the standard of no more than 3 times the cost required to restore the original state.

Whether it is killing or eating wild animals, it is illegal, so be sure to remember this!