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Wuhan Bans Eating Wild Animals After Coronavirus Pandemic Link

Wuhan Bans Eating Wild Animals After Coronavirus Pandemic Link

New rules forbid the consumption of wildlife, including those bred by farms

Rebecca Shepherd

Rebecca Shepherd

Wuhan, the Chinese city believed to be the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, has banned the eating of wild animals.

Many have linked the eating of wild animals with the virus, which is believed to have originated in a Wuhan seafood market.

The new policy will be in place for five years, according to a notice released by the Wuhan government today.

The new law, which actually went into effect on 13 May but has only been announced today (20 May), will also ban people from producing, processing and trading wild animals.

Live turtles on display.
Shutterstock

The law has also put a stop to the hunting of wild animals, saying that doing so is 'strictly prohibited'.

The statement goes on: "The administrative area of the whole city is a wildlife sanctuary.

"Except for scientific research, population regulation, monitoring of epidemic diseases and other special circumstances, and in accordance with the law to obtain a special hunting license or hunting license, hunting and hunting of protected terrestrial wildlife and rare and endangered aquatic wildlife under national protection are prohibited.

"It is forbidden to hunt other terrestrial wild animals for the purpose of eating."

Traders selling bat meat.
PA

The government has also promised to step up and strengthen the supervision and inspection of wild animals.

The announcement states: "The law enforcement inspection on wildlife violations in trading markets, catering hotels, e-commerce platforms, food processing and other places will be stepped up.

"Ban, seal or close illegal places according to law, punish illegal enterprises and illegal individuals, record illegal information in social integrity files, implement joint punishment, and publish to the public."

Live frogs for sale.
Shutterstock

Back in January, scientists suggested that coronavirus could have originated from bats.

From then on, Covid-19 spread to become a global pandemic.

This latest move comes after the cities Shenzhen and Zhuhai both banned the consumption of dog and cat meat.

Those announcements came in following a government proposal which says dogs should be viewed as 'companion animals'.

The Ministry of Agriculture has announced new guidelines that declare that dogs are pets, rather than livestock.

The department wrote: "As far as dogs are concerned, along with the progress of human civilisation and the public concern and love for animal protection, dogs have been 'specialised' to become companion animals, and internationally are not considered to be livestock, and they will not be regulated as livestock in China."

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News