CHINA’S ENDANGERED SPECIES

As one of the world's most biodiverse countries and its most populous, China is home to a significant number of wildlife species vulnerable to or in danger of local extinction due to the impact of human activity. As many of China’s animals are endemic to the region, it is especially concerning.

Conservation Efforts for Endangered Species Under the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Wildlife, the national and local governments are required to designate rare or threatened species for special protection under the law. The type of legal protection that a particular species in China enjoys may depend on the locality of administration. For example, the Beijing Municipal Government designates the red fox, wild boar, leopard cat and masked palm civet, which are found in the wilderness around the municipality, as local Class I protected species even though none are among the Class I or II protected species designated by the national government.

新年快乐 GOING FORWARD With the recent success of the increase of the giant panda population, China should follow the same pattern of conservation through the building of sanctuaries, breed-and-release programs, and the creation of laws against the poaching of wild animals.