2016年CRI Release of Wild Animals Creates Black Markets in China

 

Farmers in Beijing's Huarou District, a rural area outside the metropolitan¹ center, have been reporting frequent sightings of foxes in the wild.

The Huairou area is not a natural habitat for foxes.

In some instances, the foxes have attacked farm animals, creating economic problems for locals.

Authorities suspect the foxes have been gaining a foothold in the Huairou area after being released by people taking part in religious ceremonies.

The local forestry² police in Huairou have opened an investigation³.

Releasing captured animals back into the wild has long been a century's-long tradition among certain religious groups in China.

The participants believe that by releasing the animals, they can generate spiritual merits.

Liu Yidan is one of those who used to take part in the ceremonies.

She now serves on a volunteer environmental patrol team in neighboring Hebei, hoping to stop people from setting the animals free.

"When we started out, me and my fellow participants thought we were saving these animals when they were let back into the wild. But as we bought more of these birds, more and more people began capturing them to sell to us. I finally began to realize that I couldn't possibly save all of them, even if I spent all my money."

The sale of animals on the black market can be lucrative⁴ for both poachers and illegal breeders in China.

Poachers of wild birds in Hebei can reportedly make over 10-thousand yuan, or around 15-hundred US dollars, a day from the sale of the birds.

Their profits usually surge around religious holidays.

Others who have released foxes into the wild say they usually purchase the animals from breeders, who would otherwise sell them for fur.

Yang Zhaoxia with Beijing Forestry University says people who buy these animals often don't know what kind of trouble they can get themselves into.

"Most people lack any legal awareness⁵ when it comes to wild animals. If the origins of the animals are unclear, its likely they come from illegal breeding operations. The people who buy these animals, even with the best of intentions, could be doing more harm than good for the environment, or even be unknowingly breaking the law. In some cases, these purchases could even land the buyers in jail."

Many animals either die or suffer cruel treatment while in the hands of dealers⁶ and breeders.

Farmers in Huarou say they've seen numerous dead foxes in their area, raising suspicions the animals were domesticated⁷ by breeders and had no skills to survive in the wild.

Zoologist⁸ Xie Yan with the Chinese Academy of Sciences says many biological and ecological⁹ issues need to be considered when relocating wild creatures.

"Releasing wild animals for ecological preservation¹⁰ is a highly scientific endeavor. We do not recommend anyone without proper training take part in such activities."

Priest Ming Jie with the Buddhist¹¹ Association of China says capturing animals for the sake of releasing them actually veers¹² quite far from Buddhist teachings.

"To catch animals so people can let them go again does not follow the spirit of releasing wild life that we teach. It even goes against our true spiritual teachings. If people can't properly choose the species to release, or the environment to release them, they are actually leading the animals to a dead end."

China's current wild animal protection law was launched in 1992.

It stipulates¹³ that regional, and even national authorities, need to grant approval before wild animals can be released.

Ecologists warn that the introduction of non-native species into a new environment has the potential to lead to major problems for years.

In the United States, Asian Carp, which are common in China, were introduced in the 1970's to clear out algae¹⁴ blooms at waste-water treatment centers.

After their inevitable¹⁵ escape into the wild, the so-called 'flying fish' are now making their way north up the major rivers and their tributaries¹⁶, threatening other species and creating dangerous conditions for recreational boaters.

Asian carp, when startled, can jump as high as meter out of the water.

This has led to a growing number of injuries among people boating along rivers where the carp have taken over.

The fish is now listed as an invasive species in the United States.

1 metropolitan   

adj.大城市的，大都会的

参考例句：

• Metropolitan buildings become taller than ever.大城市的建筑变得比以前更高。
• Metropolitan residents are used to fast rhythm.大都市的居民习惯于快节奏。

2 forestry   

n.森林学；林业

参考例句：

• At present, the Chinese forestry is being at a significant transforming period. 当前, 我国的林业正处于一个重大的转折时期。
• Anhua is one of the key forestry counties in Hunan province. 安化县是湖南省重点林区县之一。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 lucrative   

adj.赚钱的，可获利的

参考例句：

• He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
• It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。

5 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

6 dealers   

n.商人( dealer的名词复数 )；贩毒者；毒品贩子；发牌者

参考例句：

• There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
• The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败，与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。

7 domesticated   

adj.喜欢家庭生活的；（指动物）被驯养了的v.驯化( domesticate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He is thoroughly domesticated and cooks a delicious chicken casserole. 他精于家务，烹制的砂锅炖小鸡非常可口。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The donkey is a domesticated form of the African wild ass. 驴是非洲野驴的一种已驯化的品种。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 zoologist   

n.动物学家

参考例句：

• Charles darwin was a famous zoologist.查尔斯达尔文是一位著名的动物学家。
• The zoologist had spent a long time living with monkeys.这位动物学家与猴子一起生活了很长时间。

9 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

10 preservation   

n.保护，维护，保存，保留，保持

参考例句：

• The police are responsible for the preservation of law and order.警察负责维持法律与秩序。
• The picture is in an excellent state of preservation.这幅画保存得极为完好。

11 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

12 veers   

v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的第三人称单数 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转

参考例句：

• The car veers out of control. 这辆车失去了控制。 来自辞典例句
• His fondness for his characters sometimes veers towards the sentimental. 他对那位主人公的偏爱有时也稍显矫情。 来自互联网

13 stipulates   

n.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的名词复数 )；规定，明确要求v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的第三人称单数 )；规定，明确要求

参考例句：

• The trade contract stipulates for the settlement of balances in RMB. 贸易合同规定余额以人民币结算。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The contract stipulates for the use of seasoned timber. 合同上订明用干透的木料。 来自辞典例句

14 algae   

n.水藻，海藻

参考例句：

• Most algae live in water.多数藻类生长在水中。
• Algae grow and spread quickly in the lake.湖中水藻滋蔓。

15 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

16 tributaries   

n. 支流

参考例句：

• In such areas small tributaries or gullies will not show. 在这些地区，小的支流和冲沟显示不出来。
• These tributaries are subsequent streams which erode strike valley. 这些支流系即为蚀出走向谷的次生河。