This is an excerpt from an article written and published online by SAPeople on 27 February, 2020
South Africa’s Blood Lions documentary makers have welcomed China’s announcement of an unprecedented ban on the consumption of wild animals as food… but point out it should be permanent, and not only applicable when the world’s focus is on the threat of the new coronavirus. And it should definitely include lion bones which carry the threat of contracting Bovine TB.
Last week, the Chinese authorities announced tougher new measures around wildlife trade, including the proposed immediate ban on consumption.
This follows the outbreak of the coronavirus in China in December 2019… where it was linked to a live animal market in Wuhan City, where both domestic and wild animals are sold.
As of Wednesday 26 February, WHO statistics show the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has infected more than 81,901 people globally and killed at least 2,761.
In early February, the Chinese government issued a temporary ban on all trade in wild animals until the end of the “national epidemic”, which led to urgent calls for it to be made permanent.
Last week, the Chinese authorities finally announced tougher new measures, including an unprecedented ban on the consumption of wild animals as food.
Blood Lions says it welcomes the proposed ban, but that it should be more permanent.