China's wildlife consumption ban explained

BEIJING — China announced on Monday that the country has banned the consumption and trade of wildlife with immediate effect amid the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak.

Hunting or transporting wild animals for eating purposes will also be prohibited under the ban.

Scientists in China suspect that the new coronavirus has spread from wild animals to humans, but this has not been proven yet.

This includes wild animals protected by law, terrestrial animals and terrestrial wild animals that are being raised in breeding farms, the South China Morning Post reports, citing the People's Daily. Animals such as civet cats, wild boars, deer, blue peacocks and pigeons will all be protected under the ban.

According to Reuters, these wild animals can be used for medical or scientific purposes but will be subject to inspection and strict examination.

Aquatic animals, livestock, poultry and other animals are exempt from the ban.

China's wildlife protection laws, which was brought into effect in 1989, included loopholes that allowed consumption of wild animals and captive breeding of wildlife for commercial purposes, the South China Morning Post reports.