China Endangered Species Hunt
Zhou admitted that in spite of their progress, problems remained. Deforestation, poaching, and damage to the ecosystem were not – according to Zhour – halted yet.
Four years later, marking the timeline at which more reserves and breeding bases should be in place, China has announced something that most people can’t believe: The hunt for endangered species is on in what the Chinese government is calling a “kill-to-conserve” campaign.
The Beijing Youth Daily reported on August 2nd that the Chinese government will be auctioning licenses to foreigners. These licenses are based on the type and number of animals to be hunted. According to the daily, a wolf – the only predators on the list – will run for $200. Wild yaks, of which there are fewer than 15,000 remaining in the entire world, will be auctioned at $40,000. Bids to bag an argali (wild sheep prized for their massive spiral horns) begin at $10,000. Taking place the Sunday, August 13 in Chengdu, capital of the southwestern province of Sichuan, the auction will be “the first of its kind in Chinese history”.
According to CNN, five western areas, including Qinghai, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces and the autonomous regions of Ningxia and Xinjiang, are involved in the auction.
Just more than a year ago, the State Forestry Administration released results that 85 percent of wildlife species, 85 percent of terrestrial ecosystems and 65 percent of higher plant colonies are now protected. They have created specific areas for wildlife conservation … and many are now questioning the movement. Conservationists and animal-rights activists want to know if it was always intended that the increase in “protection” would create the opportunity to rake in tourist money.
Make no mistake, it will not be the Chinese who are participating in the hunt. Though hunting animals is popular in China, the country has very strict rules on gun control. These auctioned endangered-animal hunting licenses will be available only to foreigners. Reportedly, a tour guide will accompany the foreign hunters to help and ensure that “only male animals rather than female ones, and older animals rather than young ones are hunted.”
What’s up for hunting auction? The daily didn’t get into specifics, but did report that “Some animals are from the first and second category of national wildlife protection, but with the strict limitations in place, the hunting could not destroy wild animal populations.” Possibly on the list, given the statistics of endangered species in China, were the red ibis and Chinese alligator in addition to the published species of wolf and yak.
No mention has been made of the giant panda, which is considered among one of the most endangered species in the world. Despite a recent panda baby boom, only 1,600 to 3,000 of the exotic bears live in China… their native ground.
In all, 156 of China’s endangered plant and animal species are among the 640 listed in the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Perhaps the most ironic twist in all of this is what the proceeds from the auction will be used for: wild animal protection. “The net income from the auction will be used in wildlife conservation projects in the above five provinces,” stated a State Forestry Administration official. “The auction will help the administration ascertain the market price of wildlife resources, and the legalization of hunting licenses will help curb illegal hunts.”
