China has put over 80 percent of its endangered wild animals
under protection in their natural habitats when nearly 70 million
yuan (US$8.46 million) has been made in the establishment of 600
nature reserves across the country.
The State Forestry Administration launched a national project on
wildlife protection a few years ago, with priority given to
protecting 13 endangered wild animal species, including panda,
redibis, golden monkey, Chinese alligator, and gibbon, according to
Guangming Daily.
Statistics show that the total number, both wild and artificial,
of red ibis reached 560 in 2003, a rise of 35 percent over the
previous year. Chinese alligators grew to 10,000 in total number
from the previous 200, and some of them have returned to nature in
Anhui
Province, east China.
Some 156 species of China's endangered animals and plants are
among the world's 640 endangered species listed in the United
Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species.
Due to insufficient resources, destruction of the natural
habitat of wild species and illicit poaching, China could lose 15
to 20 percent of its species of animals and plants, higher than the
world level of 10-15 percent, according to statistics of the State
Forestry Administration.
(Xinhua News Agency January 22, 2004)