Beijing Has Banned Consumption Of Wild Animals

The capital of China is the last city to ban the trade and consumption of wild animals.

The city's legislature passed the regulations to better protect wild animals and the health of the citizens. 

The council will begin to enforce the Beijing Wildlife Protection and Management Regulations on June 1. 

The new legislation prohibits killing, trading, and consuming of wild animals. The existing law refers to "wild animals" as to those rare and endangered terrestrial and aquatic wild animals, as well as terrestrial wild animals of significant ecological, scientific and social value.

From now, eating of these species is strictly prohibited. Foodservice providers, including restaurants, bars and canteens are not allowed to purchase, store, or process wildlife and its products. Markets and e-commerce platforms are not allowed to sell wild animal products.

Violation of the law may face fines up to 20 times the value of animals or their products. Penalties for foodservice companies will be even higher. 

The move comes after the Chinese government had closed wet markets earlier this year due to the coronavirus outbreak.  

It is believed that the new virus originated on a Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in the Chinese city of Wuhan and transmitted to humans by either bats or pangolins. 

The wildlife trade industry in China is estimated to be worth $74 billion.

In February, The National People's Congress Standing Committee responded to the pandemic by establishing a permanent ban on the consumption and illegal trade of wild animal in the country. 

So far, three cities in China, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and now Beijing, have established their own regulations to protect wildlife and human health.