What are the differences in the revised Wildlife Protection Law?

China's Wildlife Protection Law was revised in 2020, and the new version went into effect on May 1, 2023, boosting protections for animal areas.

This sparked a lot of curiosity among Chinese critics since both the interpretation and the newly modified Wildlife Protection Law appear to indicate a more accommodating environment for cases involving the trade in captive wildlife.

What are the differences in the revised law? Yang Zhaoxia, a professor at Beijing Forestry University, shared some opinions with CGTN Nature.

What is wildlife classification protection? Yang said, artificially bred wild animals are subject to classified and hierarchical management, and wild animal resources are strictly protected and scientifically utilized. The state supports scientific research institutions to artificially breed wild animals for the purpose of species protection.

"This modification is strict when it should be strict and tolerant when it is necessary," Yang said. "It is in line with the principle of differentiated management of classified policies and is certainly an advancement of the legal system."

Yang said that wild animals and their products included in the list will be specially marked if they obtain a captive breeding license according to the annual production quota approved by the wildlife protection department.

"It is conducive to encouraging the development and growth of the wildlife breeding industry," Yang said.

It is necessary to establish the principle of combining key protection and universal protection, and to include all types of wild animals with conservation value within the scope of legal protection. It is necessary to protect other wild animals outside the list at the same time, such as formulating regulations and restricting large-scale use, said Yang.

In addition, what else should we pay attention to in the revised law?

A tourist picked up a hare to process it into delicious food. Is this illegal? According to Article 31, it is prohibited to eat nationally protected wild animals, nationally protected terrestrial wild animals with important ecological, scientific and social values, and other terrestrial wild animals.

Can people hunt with a hunting license? According to Article 23, hunters shall hunt wildlife in strict accordance with the types, quantities, limits, places, tools, methods, and time periods specified on the special hunting permit or hunting license. After hunting, the hunting results should be reported to the wildlife protection department that issued the special hunting license.