China key to protecting endangered species

Our planet is losing animal species at an astounding rate – about 27,000 become extinct every year. When you break that down, it is about 74 every day and three every hour that are lost forever.

Unfortunately, over the years, China has contributed significantly to the decreasing population of many animals, eating such "delicacies" as bear's paw, shark's fin, tiger bones and cubilose. People consume these exotic items not only because of the traditional belief in their medicinal and nutritional value, but also because consumption of such expensive foods shows ff one's wealth and social status.

However, many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that work with the government, media and local communities, are trying to dispel these myths in order to protect the environment.

WildAid, an NGO based in the US, set up its office in China in 2004 and has been working on increasing people's awareness of wildlife protection. Up to 1 billion people from all over the world are privy to WildAid's public advertisements every week.

Campaigns displayed at bus stops and subway stations in Beijing feature a picture of basketball star Yao Ming and a shark swimming in the background. The ad reads, "When the buying stops, the killing can too." Other famous athletes such as Li Ning, Ding Junhui and Zhang Yining have also lent their faces to the cause.

WildAid's research in 16 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, found that consumers were misinformed about eating what have been traditionally thought of as "delicacies."

For example, 90 percent of shark's fin is eaten by Chinese. They assume the "delicacy" is extremely rich in nutritive value, but in fact, a bowl of chicken soup contains more calcium, carbohydrates, protein and energy than shark's fin soup.

Secondly, people assume deep-sea fi sh are completely safe because they do not venture near the numerous kinds of water pollutants found closer to the seashore. However, shark's fin contains a high level of mercury, which harms humans' brains and spines and is also fatal to fetus and affects men's fertility.

Thirdly, people think that it is reasonable to kill man's supposed natural enemy. What they do not know is that among the 490 shark species in the world, less than 30 of them attack people. In other words, only 6 percent of sharks are dangerous. Nevertheless, since 2000, the average number of people killed by a shark is 5.5 every year, while people kill more than 100 million sharks over the same period of time.

While some people eat shark's fin thinking it is beneficial for anti-aging and helpful in preventing cancer, the opposite is true.

It is these kinds of facts that WildAid is trying to get across to the Chinese public and by getting celebrities such as Yao to promise not to eat shark's fi n the NGO has already helped stem consumption.

Guo Man has heeded Yao's call. The founder, chairman and CEO of Air Media Group told the Global Times that he quit eating shark's fin a long time ago and urges many of his friends to do the same.

WildAid's education campaign is geared towards those who can afford such "delicacies," like Guo Man's friends.

"If you look at the way society works, those people also tend to have influence – they direct companies, or work in media agencies, or the government," explained Steve Trent, founding director of both WildAid and the Environmental Justice Foundation (UK).

"By educating them [those with infl uence] you educate a wide group of people," he added.

As WildAid's work focuses on saving endangered species, Trent said that it is vital and urgent to control consumption. People who are urban, relatively wealthy and relatively infl uential play a key role, Trent added.

If consumption is not severely curtailed, Trent warned that there would not be any of these exotic foods left to eat. "So, whether it's good for your health, whether it's good for social status, or whether it's good for how you feel, if you don't control it, then you won't have it again."

Trent has worked in environmental protection for 20 years and made his first visit to China in 1999. Since then he said that he has seen great changes, many of them positive.

He was in the Chinese capital recently to hand out awards sponsored by WildAid and Air Media Group for designs that won a public advertising competition to further raise awareness of protecting endangered species and the environment.

Now with awareness taking hold, China needs to take the next step, according to Trent.
"I believe the world needs China's leadership and the world needs China's conservation. The role the country has to play is genuinely a world – leading role.

China is making it to the next stage where the understanding is combined with leadership and real action to protect the natural world."

He firmly believes that if China takes a more active role, it can be influential globally.

"One of the reasons why I keep talking about leadership and believe it to be so important is because conservation will only be effective when it crosses national boundaries and where you have collaboration between countries."