Wild Beijing 北京自然

Tag: Species with special protection

  • China updates list of species with special protection

    China updates list of species with special protection

    Last week, the Chinese government announced the publication of a revised list of species with special protection under its Wildlife Protection Law.  This is the first revision since the list was originally published in 1988, more than 30 years ago.  An update was badly needed as the original list contained mostly large and obvious species, in the case of birds this meant families such as cranes, storks and pheasants, with passerines and shorebirds largely ignored.  And of course the status of many species has changed significantly in the last three decades, meaning that many more species are in need of special protection.

    In summary, there are now 980 species of wildlife, including mammals and birds,  that have special protection – either Class I or Class II – in China, of which 394 species are birds.  Of the 394 bird species, 92 now enjoy Class I protection.  

    The table below lists ALL 92 species of bird now under Class I protection.  It includes the English name, Chinese name, scientific name and change compared with the 1988 list.  

    English NameChinese NameScientific NameChangs in Status
    Sichuan Partridge　　四川山鹧鸪Arborophila rufipectusNo change
    Hainan Partridge　　海南山鹧鸪Arborophila ardensNo change
    Chinese Grouse　　斑尾榛鸡Tetrastes sewerzowiNo change
    Black-billed Capercaillie　　黑嘴松鸡Tetrao urogalloidesNo change
    Black Grouse　　黑琴鸡Lyrurus tetrixUpgraded from Class II
    Chestnut-throated Partridge　　红喉雉鹑Tetraophasis obscurusUpgraded from Class II
    Buff-throated Partridge　　黄喉雉鹑Tetraophasis szechenyiiUpgraded from Class II
    Western Tragopan　　黑头角雉Tragopan melanocephalusNo change
    Satyr Tragopan　　红胸角雉Tragopan satyraNo change
    Blyth’s Tragopan　　灰腹角雉Tragopan blythiiNo change
    Cabot’s Tragopan　　黄腹角雉Tragopan cabotiNo change
    Himalayan Monal　　棕尾虹雉Lophophorus impejanusNo change
    Sclater’s Monal　　白尾梢虹雉Lophophorus sclateriNo change
    Chinese Monal　　绿尾虹雉Lophophorus lhuysiiNo change
    Swinhoe’s Pheasant　　蓝腹鹇Lophura swinhoiiNo change
    Brown Eared-pheasant　　褐马鸡Crossoptilon mantchuricumNo change
    Elliot’s Pheasant　　白颈长尾雉Syrmaticus elliotiNo change
    Hume’s Pheasant　　黑颈长尾雉Syrmaticus humiaeNo change
    Mikado Pheasant　　黑长尾雉Syrmaticus mikadoNo change
    Reeve’s Pheasant　　白冠长尾雉Syrmaticus reevesiiUpgraded from Class II
    Grey Peacock-pheasant　　灰孔雀雉Polyplectron bicalcaratumNo change
    Hainan Peacock-pheasant　　海南孔雀雉Polyplectron katsumataeRecent split
    Green Peafowl　　绿孔雀Pavo muticusNo change
    Baer’s Pochard　　青头潜鸭Aythya baeriNew
    Scaly-sided Merganser　　中华秋沙鸭Mergus squamatusNo change
    White-headed Duck　　白头硬尾鸭Oxyura leucocephalaNew
    Little Cuckoo-dove　　小鹃鸠Macropygia ruficepsUpgraded from Class II
    Great Bustard　　大鸨Otis tardaNo change
    Macqueen’s Bustard　　波斑鸨Chlamydotis macqueeniiNo change
    Little Bustard　　小鸨Tetrax tetraxNo change
    Siberian Crane　　白鹤Grus leucogeranusNo change
    White-naped Crane　　白枕鹤Grus vipioUpgraded from Class II
    Sarus Crane　　赤颈鹤Grus antigoneNo change
    Red-crowned Crane　　丹顶鹤Grus japonensisNo change
    Hooded Crane　　白头鹤Grus monachaNo change
    Black-necked Crane　　黑颈鹤Grus nigricollisNo change
    Nordmann’s Greenshank　　小青脚鹬Tringa guttiferUpgraded from Class II
    Spoon-billed Sandpiper　　勺嘴鹬Calidris pygmeusNew
    Saunders’s Gull　　黑嘴鸥Saundersilarus saundersiNew
    Relict Gull　　遗鸥Ichthyaetus relictusNo change
    Chinese Crested Tern　　中华凤头燕鸥Thalasseus bernsteiniUpgraded from Class II
    River Tern　　河燕鸥Sterna aurantiaUpgraded from Class II
    Black-footed Albatross　　黑脚信天翁Phoebastria nigripesNew
    Short-tailed Albatross　　短尾信天翁Phoebastria albatrusNo change
    Painted Stork　　彩鹳Mycteria leucocephalaUpgraded from Class II
    Black Stork　　黑鹳Ciconia nigraNo change
    White Stork　　白鹳Ciconia ciconiaNo change
    Oriental Stork　　东方白鹳Ciconia boycianaNo change (previously treated as White Stork)
    Christmas Frigatebird　　白腹军舰鸟Fregata andrewsiNo change
    Black-headed Ibis　　黑头白鹮Threskiornis melanocephalusUpgraded from Class II
    White-shouldered Ibis　　白肩黑鹮Pseudibis davisoniUpgraded from Class II
    Crested Ibis　　朱鹮Nipponia nipponNo change
    Glossy Ibis　　彩鹮Plegadis falcinellusUpgraded from Class II
    Black-faced Spoonbill　　黑脸琵鹭Platalea minorUpgraded from Class II
    White-eared Night-heron　　海南鳽Gorsachius magnificusUpgraded from class II
    White-bellied Heron　　白腹鹭Ardea insignisNew
    Chinese Egret　　黄嘴白鹭Egretta eulophotesUpgraded from class II
    Great White Pelican　　白鹈鹕Pelecanus onocrotalusUpgraded from class II
    Spot-bellied Pelican　　斑嘴鹈鹕Pelecanus philippensisUpgraded from class II
    Dalmatian Pelican　　卷羽鹈鹕Pelecanus crispusUpgraded from class II
    Bearded Vulture　　胡兀鹫Gypaetus barbatusNo change
    White-rumped Vulture　　白背兀鹫Gyps bengalensisNo change
    Red-headed Vulture　　黑兀鹫Sarcogyps calvusUpgraded from Class II
    Cinereous Vulture　　秃鹫Aegypius monachusUpgraded from Class II
    Greater Spotted Eagle　　乌雕Clanga clangaUpgraded from Class II
    Steppe Eagle　　草原雕Aquila nipalensisUpgraded from Class II
    Eastern Imperial Eagle　　白肩雕Aquila heliacaNo change
    Golden Eagle　　金雕Aquila chrysaetosNo change
    White-bellied Sea-eagle　　白腹海雕Haliaeetus leucogasterUpgraded from Class II
    Pallas’s Fish-eagle　　玉带海雕Haliaeetus leucoryphusNo change
    White-tailed Eagle　　白尾海雕Haliaeetus albicillaNo change
    Steller’a Sea-eagle　　虎头海雕Haliaeetus pelagicusNo change
    Blakiston’s Fish-owl　　毛腿雕鸮Bubo blakistoniUpgraded from Class II
    Père David’s Owl　　四川林鸮Strix davidiTaxonomic change
    Austen’s Brown Hornbill　　白喉犀鸟Anorrhinus austeniUpgraded from Class II
    Oriental Pied Hornbill　　冠斑犀鸟Anthracoceros albirostrisUpgraded from Class II
    Great Hornbill　　双角犀鸟Buceros bicornisUpgraded from Class II
    Rufous-necked Hornbill　　棕颈犀鸟Aceros nipalensisUpgraded from Class II
    Wreathed Hornbill　　花冠皱盔犀鸟Rhyticeros undulatusUpgraded from Class II
    Saker Falcon　　猎隼Falco cherrugUpgraded from class II
    Gyrfalcon　　矛隼Falco rusticolusUpgraded from class II
    Sichuan Jay　　黑头噪鸦Perisoreus internigransNew
    Rusty-throated Parrotbill　　灰冠鸦雀Sinosuthora przewalskiiNew
    Golden-fronted Fulvetta　　金额雀鹛Schoeniparus variegaticepsNew
    Snowy-cheeked Laughingthrush　　黑额山噪鹛Garrulax sukatschewiNew
    White-speckled Laughingthrush　　白点噪鹛Garrulax bietiNew
    Blue-crowned Laughingthrush　　蓝冠噪鹛Garrulax courtoisiNew
    Bugun Liocichla　　黑冠薮鹛Liocichla bugunorumNew
    Emei Shan Liocichla　　灰胸薮鹛Liocichla omeiensisNew
    Rufous-headed Robin　　棕头歌鸲Larvivora ruficepsNew
    Jankowski’s Bunting　　栗斑腹鹀Emberiza jankowskiiNew
    Yellow-breasted Bunting　　黄胸鹀Emberiza aureolaNew

     

    The full list, including both Class I and Class II, can be downloaded here (tab one includes all species, tab two contains birds only with all Class I species highlighted yellow)

    For comparison, the original list from 1988 can be seen here.

    So what does first or second class protection mean? 

    It is worth stating that ALL wild birds are protected in China and that harming or taking any bird from the wild is illegal without a special license, only granted for scientific research purposes.  Class I and Class II protection means that there are more severe punishments for anyone harming these species or their habitats.  The punishments that can be administered are outlined in Chapter IV of the Wildlife Protection Law.  The latest text in English, including a draft amended law from 2020, can be found here  (a broader analysis of the law in terms of trade and use of wild animals, can be found on the EIA’s website).  In summary, although the law is typically vague, fines of up to CNY 100,000 (GBP 11,000) can be levied, depending on the type and severity of the offence, with additional negative impacts to individuals’ social credit score and the potential for custodial sentences.  

    Although this post focuses on birds but there are major steps forward on other wildlife, too, with perhaps the most eye-catching being that the Wolf (Canis lupus) and Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) are now given special protection (Class II) for the first time and Dhole (Cuon alpinus) upgraded to Class I from Class II.  Chinese Mountain Cat (Felis bieti), Jungle Cat (Felis chaus) and Asian Golden Cat (Pardofelis temminckii) are also upgraded to Class I, joining Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia), Common Leopard (Panthera pardus) and Tiger (Panthera tigris).

    Under the new Wildlife Protection Law, the list of species with special protection should be revised every five years.  If implemented, this will enable a more dynamic process of protection for China’s most endangered species.

    The publication of the new list is a major step forward in the recognition, and protection, of China’s wildlife, much of which is unique, and coincides with the formation of a system of national parks, the ban on further land reclamation along its coast, with inscription of key coastal wetlands as World Heritage Sites, and the hosting of the UN Conventions on Biological Diversity and Wetlands in 2021 in Kunming and Wuhan respectively.  The next step is to implement a robust education and awareness programme for both law enforcement officials and the general public to ensure this new list is fully respected and enforced and to ensure credible monitoring mechanisms are in place in order to provide science-based evidence to underpin changes to the list five years from now.

    Big credit must go to the Chinese academics and conservationists who have been working hard over a long period to update and strengthen the list.  

     

    Thank you to ShanShui Conservation Center for comments on the original version of this article which clarified the status of some species on the original list.