Police seize over 50,000 wild animals during crackdown

HEFEI -- An ongoing crackdown on the illegal wildlife trade has led to the seizure of 53,486 wild animals in East China's Anhui province, local authorities said.

The six-month crackdown started in June. More than 200 related cases had been solved or are being investigated, and over 80 traffickers had been punished as of Aug 10, according to the provincial department of forestry.

In one case, police intercepted a truck carrying 152 spiny giant frogs, two hog badgers and five snakes in Anhui's Qimen County. The truck was heading to east China's Zhejiang province.

In another case, a truck carrying wild birds was stopped by police in Susong County en route to South China's Guangdong province. More than 2,600 moorhens and 650 night herons were seized.

Over the past few years, China has intensely promoted a series of important measures to strengthen wildlife protection, such as amending the Wildlife Protection Law, banning the ivory trade and building national parks.

According to Chinese law, poaching, transporting, or trading protected wildlife is punishable by up to ten years in prison.