According to media reports, Dalian’s "2·11" spotted seal poaching in 2019 case has progressed. The Liaodong Bay marine animal poaching case involving 42 people and 7 units has recently been heard in a public trial in the first instance. There are 16 defendants in the first batch. The gang hunts spotted seal cubs aggressively and is suspected of committing crimes such as illegal hunting of precious wild animals.

On February 11, 2019, Dalian Changxing Island Police cracked a major case of the theft of spotted seals, which was later known as the "Dalian 2.11 Spotted Seal Poaching Case", which shocked the country and abroad. Under the condition that the wild populations are not effectively protected, under the banner of artificial breeding, commercial performances are not beneficial to species protection. On the contrary, driven by interests, poaching intensifies. Various commercial performances, aquarium exhibitions, animal shows, etc., advertised in seemingly legal names, have often become the source of driving poaching.

Spotted seals are China's national second-class protected animals and are the only pinnipeds that can breed in Chinese waters. After the case occurred, China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) wrote to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Dalian Municipal Government as soon as possible. And issued applications for information disclosure to the three organizations of the Dalian Spotted Seal National Nature Reserve Administration, Dalian Ocean and Fishery Bureau, and the Ocean and Fishery Bureau of Wafangdian City. On February 19, 2019, the CBCGDF held a seminar on spotted seals protection and anti-poaching, bringing together legal workers, experts and scholars, media reporters from all over the country, and environmental protection volunteers from Dalian to analyze and discuss the incident.

According to media reports, the case has 42 defendants and 7 defendant units. The trial is divided into three cases: the first is the hunting part, with 16 defendants (the trial has been completed); The second is the acquisition of transportation and sales, with 11 defendants; the third is the acquisition of the Aquarium, with 7 defendant units and 15 defendants.

The author of this article cannot help asking: The aquarium drives the poaching of spotted seals, who are the 7 defendant units? Has the supervisory authority failed in its duty? Looking forward to the next answer to be announced.

According to the legal counsel of the CBCGDF, the legal department of the CBCGDF is currently studying the initiation of environmental public interest litigation (EPIL) against illegal purchasers (such as the entities and individuals involved).

(Photo credit: CBCGDF)

Original Chinese article:

http://www.cbcgdf.org/NewsShow/4857/13634.html

By / Zhang Daqian Modified / Niu Jingmei

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http://www.cbcgdf.org/English/ConfirmDonaTion/0.html