On March 29, 2018, the Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region’s reply concerning the rescued pangolins on August 17, 2017 is as follows:

It states: “At the same time, inspected by authoritative agencies found that most of the pangolins smuggled into China were highly pathogenic (including this batch of pangolins) … In view of the fact that the smuggled pangolins carry a highly pathogenic virus, this reply is limited to your notification in accordance with the relevant requirements stipulated in the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law of the People’s Republic of China and other laws and regulations.”

The reply of the Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on April 28, 2018 concerning the inspection of pangolins rescued on August 17, 2017 is as follows:

In August 6, 2018, the Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region held a press conference. Subsequent media reports stated as follows:” In this regard, the Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region said that according to the relevant provisions, the issue that the CBCGDF proposed the level of viral pathogenicity will cause what harm, does not belong to the government public information.

According to Article 29 of the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law of the People’s Republic of China, no other unit or individual has the right to issue animal epidemic information except the competent veterinary department under the State Council or its authorized provincial competent veterinary department.”

Then, what is the specific law is the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law of the People’s Republic of China mentioned by the Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the reply and press conference? Article 3 of the Law clearly stipulated that animals referred to in this Law refer to livestock, poultry and other animals raised and legally captured. The term “animal products” as mentioned in this Law refers to raw hides, raw hair, semen, embryos, seed eggs, as well as unprocessed carcasses, fats, viscera, blood, wool, bones, horns, heads and hooves.

The 33 live pangolins seized by the third detachment of the Marine Police of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in August 2017, do not belong to the categories of livestock, poultry, or other animals raised and legally captured.

Pangolin is an endangered species in the world, under the CITES appendix I, is the second-class national protection of wild animals.

The Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region equates pangolin with livestock and poultry. The explanation is not clear by citing the Animal Epidemic Prevention Law. According to common sense, the Guangxi Terrestrial Wildlife Rescue and Epidemic Disease Detection Center under the Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is a professional wildlife protection department.

At the same time, the Forestry Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has repeatedly requested CBCGDF not to disclose information to the public, and why it refused to disclose pangolin information, the applicable legal basis, please give a reasonable explanation as soon as possible.

(Photo: CBCGDF)