Is the muntjac a nationally protected animal? The answer is here
The muntjac is a kind of animal in the deer family, a fur-bearing animal with high economic value, fond of eating fresh twigs and tender leaves at forest edges, grassy slopes or in open woodland, and because of its small numbers it has been listed by the state as a protected animal, so what protection level does the muntjac have?
1. What protection level does the muntjac have?
The black muntjac is a national first-class protected animal and can be bred in captivity, but it cannot be sold; it is used only as a breeding stock for endangered animals. The wild Reeve's muntjac is a national third-class protected animal, and the red muntjac is included in the "List of Terrestrial Wild Animals under State Protection that Are Beneficial or Have Important Economic or Scientific Research Value." The yellow muntjac is not a nationally protected animal, but it also cannot be raised at will; an application for a "License for Business Utilization of Terrestrial Wild Animals" must be made to the local forestry bureau, otherwise it is illegal. Hunting, trading and eating any muntjac is strictly prohibited, especially the black muntjac, for which selling is an illegal act.
2. Where are muntjacs distributed?
There are three species of muntjac distributed in China: the black muntjac, the red muntjac and the Reeve's muntjac. The black muntjac is found only at the junctions of Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian and other provinces; the red muntjac is distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan and other parts of China; and the Reeve's muntjac is distributed in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Taiwan, China and other places.
In general, the muntjac is a nationally protected animal, but because there are many species, there are both first-class and second-class ones; for example, the black muntjac is a national first-class key protected wild animal, and the wild Reeve's muntjac is a national third-class protected animal.