Wild boars removed from new protected wild animal catalog

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration published a newly adjusted wild animals catalog with updated standards known as the “three values.” Wild boars were removed from the catalog for the serious hazard they present to people’s daily lives and since they are not under existential threat.

The "three values" consider whether a particular wild animal holds ecological, scientific or social value.

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration reassesses the list of national-level protected animals every year. The new list contains a total of 1,924 species of wild animals. Compared with the original list released in 2000, the new one has added more than 700 species while retaining most of the original species. 

Wild boars were removed from the list since there is no longer a threat to their survival and populations in many areas have increased too much. The adjustment was made in line with the basic principles of the catalog, Jin Kun, a researcher at the Institute of Forest Ecological Environment and Protection.

So far, 28 provinces in China are home to wild boars, among which 857 counties, cities and districts in 26 provinces are endangered by wild boars.

There have been recent news reports of wild boars entering into urban areas in East China's Jiangsu Province and triggering traffic accidents, damaging corn fields in Shiyan, Central China's Hubei Province, and entering Shenyang Agricultural University in Northeast China's Liaoning Province and eating students' takeaway food. 

Jin stressed that removing wilds boars from the list does not mean that people can hunt them at will as the principles of protection must be followed.  

Wild boars can only be hunted for scientific research and other non-edible uses, and indiscriminate consumption and illegal trade will be strictly prevented. Experts note that the wild boar population will not suffer a devastating blow despite their removal from the list.

The National Forestry and Grassland Administration will still continue to strengthen monitoring of wild boars in their habitat, and will consider raising their protection level if the species declines.