Shanghai Residents Still Eating Wildlife Despite Warnings

by Sherry Morse

A recent survey of Shanghai residents has found that many continue to eat wildlife in spite of fears of SARS and warnings against eating wild animals.

Out of 400 Shanghainese surveyed, 83% admitted to eating wildlife in the past.

Only 57.5% of the respondents said that they would no longer eat wildlife following warnings not to eat exotic animals and reptiles. Of those, only 1.9% of those people said that they would not eat wildlife because wild animals and reptiles need to be protected.

Many of the animals eaten by 'wildlife connoisseurs' are considered endangered in China, but enforcement of laws protecting those species is so lax, and demand for the animals so strong, that several exotic species are currently in danger of being wiped out.

22.5% of the survey respondents said they would continue to eat wildlife in spite of the risk of catching SARS from wild animal consumption.

At the height of the SARS outbreak, Chinese officials announced a ban on the hunting and sale of wildlife, but stopped short of outlawing the eating of wild animals.

When the government considered introducing rules to make wildlife consumption illegal, many Chinese citizens protested, particularly in Guangdong where the SARS epidemic is believed to have started, and where eating exotic, endangered wildlife is common.

Most of the people who eat wildlife said they believed wild animals were nutritious and tasted good, while others said they ate them because they were interested in trying something new.

Interestingly, the survey found that people who made more money tended to eat more wild animals.

© 2003 Animal News Center, Inc.