Restaurants, stores caught selling wild animals in China

Restaurants and businesses in an area of central China have been accused of illegally selling and serving wild game – including protected species – as delicacies, according to a newspaper report.

The Wulingyuan district forestry bureau in Zhangjiajie in Hunan province inspected two wet markets, three cold storage centres and 53 restaurants and hotels as part of a crackdown beginning last week, the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald reported.

They found 11 shops and restaurants selling wild animals illegally for food, the article said.

The authorities confiscated about 60kg (132 pounds) of boar meat, 21kg of muntjac deer meat, 10kg of snake soaked in wine, and 6kg of pheasants. Muntjac are classified as a protected species, the report said.

The authority acted after receiving tip-offs from volunteers at three environmental NGOs, which found wild animals such as muntjac and porcupines featured on the menus of many restaurants, or sold in local wet markets.

One restaurant hung a dead porcupine and lay several dead pheasants outside its premises, along with a disembowelled muntjac deer. The pheasants were on sale for 35 yuan (US$5.50) to 45 yuan each.