The religious practice of "releasing wild animals" is oringinally a good tradition. When individuals do this, it is often based on kindness and there is nothing wrong with it. However, in many places today, this custom has been replaced by organized wildlife crimes. Many wild animals are caught and sold to organized crime gangs for the purpose of being released in temples. However, this "catch-and-release" practice has caused the death of many animals.
In March 2023, National Religious Affairs Administration (NRAA) issued a notice encouraging public comments on the "Draft Regulations on the Management of Religious Activity Sites". In response, the Invasive Alien Species Working Group of China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) submitted three suggestions concerning Article 45 of the draft regulations.
The first suggestion was to explicitly prohibit the release of invasive alien species during religious activities. While religious release has its religious and humanitarian values, it is important to consider the negative impact of releasing animals on the ecological environment and local biodiversity. The release of non-native species can pose a threat to local ecosystems and biodiversity. For example, some species, such as the Brazilian turtle, have been introduced to China through religious release activities.
The second suggestion was to request proper management and record-keeping of all release activities. A sound system for managing and recording religious release activities is important to ensure their safety and legality and maintain ecological balance and biodiversity. Without proper management and record-keeping, religious release activities may have negative effects, such as introducing non-native species and disrupting the ecological balance. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a sound system for managing release activities, recording information such as the time and place of the release, the species and quantity of animals released, and their sources. This will help relevant organizations to regulate and manage these activities in a scientific manner and prevent problems such as excessive or disorderly release, ensuring the legality and safety of release activities. Additionally, release records can help study the impact of release activities on the ecological environment and biodiversity, providing scientific evidence and reference for relevant decision-making.
The third suggestion was to ensure the legality of the source of the animals released. In many cases, animals used in release activities are caught from the wild. Unreasonable release activities have become a driving force for organized wildlife crimes. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure the legality of the source of animals released and provide records indicating the source and provider of the animals in the registration files, to ensure that their origins are traceable.
Invasive alien species are one of the reasons for the rapid loss of biodiversity according to IPBES's report. CBCGDF has established a working group on invasive alien species, specializing in the study of biological invasion and control issues, and providing scientific advice to decision-makers. Since 2016, the group has made dozens of recommendations for China's invasive alien species prevention and control policymakers, and about half of them have been adopted.
Reporter: Huahua
Editor: Samantha
April 22, 2023
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For Chinese version of the orginal post:
https://www.bilibili.com/read/cv23208805
And the SASA Draft's Contents
https://www.sara.gov.cn/gjzjswj/2023-03/24/article_2023032408085233816.shtml
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