On February 5, the State Forestry and Grassland Administration and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs officially released the newly adjusted "List of Wild Animals under National Key Protection" (hereinafter referred to as the "List"), and a number of wild animals distributed in Xinjiang, such as Ili pika, Xinjiang northern salamander, white-headed hard-tailed duck, yellow-breasted bunting (wú), vulture, falcon hunting falcon, jackal, wolf, red fox and so on, were promoted to national key protected wild animals.
The adjusted "List" includes a total of 980 species and 8 categories of wild animals, which is the first time that China has made major adjustments to the "List" since 1989. Compared with the original, the adjusted "List" mainly has two changes: First, all the species in the original "List" are retained, of which 65 species of wild animals such as jackals and Yangtze River finless porpoises have been upgraded from national second-level key protected wild animals to national first-level key protected wild animals, and 3 kinds of animals such as bear monkeys, northern goats and pythons have been adjusted from national first-level key protected wild animals to national second-level key protected wild animals due to stable populations and wide distribution; second, 517 species (classes) of wild animals have been added. Among them, 43 species such as the large spotted civet cat are listed as national first-level key protected wild animals, and 474 species (categories) such as wolves are listed as national second-level key protected wild animals.
The reporter interviewed relevant experts and learned that according to the adjusted "List", tarim red deer, vultures, black lyre chickens, falcons, spear falcons, jackals, etc. distributed in Xinjiang have been upgraded to national key protected wild animals, and white-headed hard-tailed ducks and yellow-breasted bunting (wú) have been newly added to national first-level key protected wild animals. Ili pika, Xinjiang northern salamander, Ili sand tiger, Turpan sand tiger, Tarim rabbit, Tarim split-bellied fish, Xinjiang songbird, blue-cheeked bee tiger, wolf, sand fox, red fox, Tibetan fox and so on have been newly added as national second-level key protected wild animals.
It is understood that the formulation and adjustment of the "List of Wild Animals under National Key Protection" is determined based on the principles of endangerment, preciousness, similarity, prevention, compatibility and attention of wild animals.
"Adjusting or adding the level of wildlife protection will combine a variety of factors such as the number of wildlife populations and the impact of habitat environmental damage." Ma Ming, a researcher at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that for example, the white-headed hard-tailed duck breeds only in parts of Xinjiang in China, and the number is only hundreds, which has been rated as endangered by the IUCN and listed as a critically endangered species by the Xinjiang Red List of Vertebrates; the yellow-breasted bunting has decreased significantly in recent years, and was rated as a critically endangered species by the IUCN in 2017, and is currently only distributed in the Altai Mountains in Xinjiang, so they are newly added as national key protected wild animals.
Li Weidong, an associate researcher at the Xinjiang Academy of Environmental Protection Sciences and the discovery protector of the Ili pika, had mixed feelings after learning that the Ili pika was officially listed as a national second-level key protected wild animal.
"My team and I have worked hard for many years so that the Ili pika can be included in the national key protected wildlife." He said that the Ili pika is an endemic species in the Tianshan Mountains, with a population of less than 1,000 in China, which is even rarer than the giant panda, "We call it a climate barometer because it is very sensitive to changes in the living environment and is of great significance for studying how to protect our living environment." ”
Ili pika, an endemic species in the Tianshan Mountains, was newly added as a national second-level key protected wild animal. Photo/ Courtesy of correspondent Li Weidong
Xinjiang northern salamander, an endemic species in Xinjiang, was newly added as a national second-level key protected wild animal. Photo / Bole zero distance provided
The white-headed hard-tailed duck, which only has a breeding area in Xinjiang in China, has been added as a national-level key protected wild animal. Correspondent Xinjiang Bird Watcher Hui Zitao photographed
Vultures are found in small numbers in the Kunlun Mountains, Pamir Plateau, Tianshan Mountains, Tarbahatai Mountains, and Altai Mountains in Xinjiang, and the number is currently the smallest among vultures. This upgrade is a national level key protected wildlife. Correspondent Liang Yong of xinjiang bird watching association
Black lyre chicken, there are 3 subspecies in China, the smallest subspecies in Xinjiang, mainly distributed in Tacheng, Altay and other places, the number of populations is very small, this upgrade to the national level key protection of wild animals. Correspondent Xinjiang Bird Watching Will Old Wolf Photograph
Since China first issued the List of Wild Animals under National Key Protection in 1989, which clarified the scope of wild animals under national key protection, it has played a positive role in strengthening the rescue and protection of species, cracking down on indiscriminate hunting and illegal trade, and enhancing public awareness of protection.
In the past 32 years, the situation of wildlife protection in China has undergone great changes, for example, some endangered wild animals have been alleviated under protection, but some wild animals have increased their endangerment due to habitat reduction and other reasons, and a number of new rare and endangered species have been discovered, so it is necessary to readjust the List.
Reporter Zhao Mei