China adds 700 species to terrestrial wildlife protection list

BEIJING -- China has added 700 more species to its newly updated list of terrestrial wild animals of important ecological, scientific and social value, further expanding the legal basis of wild animal protection and boosting public awareness.

First published in 2000, the list now includes a total of 1,924 wild animal species, including 1,028 birds, 450 reptiles, 253 amphibians and 91 mammals, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Among those added are Terpsiphone incei, a bird species that has gained popularity among bird-watchers in recent years, and Muntiacus putaoensis, a deer species that has been under threat.

Six species of the genus Certhiidae have also appeared on the list. These birds commonly seen in the forests are very beneficial to the control of forest diseases and pests, said Sun Yuehua, a researcher with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The adjustments are based on the principles of prioritizing ecological protection, meeting the needs of scientific research and benefiting social development, said Zhang Zhengwang, a professor with Beijing Normal University.

China applies various categories and levels of protection for wild animals. While rare and endangered species are under key protection, other animals that also need protection are placed on the list for terrestrial wild animals of important ecological, scientific and social value.

Some species have been removed from the updated list because they are already on the list for wild animals under key state-protection, which offers a higher level of protection.

Meanwhile, the updated list saw the removal of wild boars, which no longer face threats to their survival as a species, along with some other species that have a relatively large population and no longer face the threat of extinction. Civet cats have been removed from the list for a number of reasons, including the size of their breeding population in the wild.

China is one of the countries with the largest number of wild animal species in the world, with 8,197 species of vertebrates alone.

"The adjustments and expansion concerning the protection scope of the list will provide a legal basis for cracking down on the destruction of wild animals and their habitats, and illegal business activities, enhance the protection and management ability and public awareness, and promote the protection and improvement of China's ecological environment," Zhang said.