China plans to jail people who eat rare animal in an attempt to better protect the natural environment. China lists 420 species as rare or endangered and threatened by consumption of animal parts ,including for supposedly medicinal reasons.
Consumption of rare animals has risen as the country has become richer, with some people believing spending thousands of yuan on eating them gives a certain social status.
The new law clears up any misunderstandings about buyingendangered species , the report added
Knowingly buying any wild animals killed by illegal hunting will now be considered a crime ,with a maximum penalty of three years in jail, xinhua said.