The Wildlife Protection Law was promulgated in 1988 and amended in 2004, 2009, 2016 and 2018 respectively. The latest revision entered into force on October 26, 2018.

There are 75 articles in total.

The key points are as follows:

1.The “Wild animals” conserved in this Law means the rare and endangered species of terrestrial and aquatic wild animals and the terrestrial wild animals of significant ecological, scientific, or social value.

2.The conservation of aquatic wild animals other than the rare and endangered species of aquatic wild animals shall be governed by the Fisheries Law of the People’s Republic of China and other relevant laws.

3.The state conserves wild animals and their habitats.

4.It shall be prohibited to illegally hunt wild animals or destruct the habitats of wild animals.

5.The state places the rare and endangered species of wild animals under priority conservation. Species of wild animals under state priority conservation are divided into wild animals under Grade-I conservation and wild animals under Grade-II conservation. The list of wild animals under state priority conservation shall be developed by the competent department of wild animal conservation of the State Council after organization of scientific evaluation, and adjustments to the list shall be determined every five years according to results of evaluation.

6.Hunting, catching, or killing wild animals under state priority conservation shall be prohibited. Whoever intends to hunt or catch any wild animals not under state priority conservation shall obtain a hunting or catching permit.

7.It shall be prohibited to sell, purchase, or utilize wild animals under state priority conservation and their products.