Govt targets wild bird trade

The local government has asked residents to alert authorities if they find wild birds on sale at local food markets in an effort to crack down on the hunting and sale of wild birds in the city, the Shanghai Municipal City Appearance and Environmental Sanitation Administration announced Monday.

"We're always fighting against wild bird poaching and sales," said Meng Shujie, an administration press officer, echoing to a recent news report on the sale of wild birds in suburban markets.

More than 200 wild birds, including several protected species, were found in a wet market in Jinshan district Sunday, according to a report in the Shanghai Morning Post.

Police and officials from the government-run Shanghai Wildlife Conservation and Management Center went to the market after receiving a tip from local residents. They confiscated the wild birds and ordered the vendors to leave the market.

"However, the stall keepers returned soon after police left and continued to sell the birds," said Jiang Long, a volunteer who works to protect wild birds.

Vendors sold pheasant and sparrows to restaurants for 30 yuan ($4.80) and for 2 yuan respectively, Jiang said. Restaurants increase the price several times before serving the birds to diners.

Many of the birds at the market are protected species, Jiang said. "I have calculated that more than 10,000 wild birds have been sold last year in that market," Jiang told the Global Times.

Jiang believes that a lack of supervision has led to the rampant trafficking of wild bird and hopes city authorities will do more to crack down on the trade.

Outer districts, such as Songjiang, Jinshan and Qingpu, have cultivated swaths of forests and wooded areas that have attracted wild birds to nest, Jiang said. However, the rising bird population has also attracted hunters as residents in the areas have a tradition of eating wild birds.