Wang Peng appealed his five-year sentence, arguing that birds bred in captivity should not be regarded as wild animals. However, there are concerns over the consequences of this lighter-touch approach to wildlife crime. The interpretation seems more “reasonable” and was welcomed by legal figures and wildlife breeders. Less serious cases may not reach court or be treated as administrative matters rather than criminal ones. It requires courts and prosecutors to consider whether animals have been bred in captivity, whether breeding techniques for the species are mature and at a large scale, and how endangered the species is in the wild. The 20-point document provides guidance on sentencing for wildlife crimes. In April this year, the Supreme People’s Court and Supreme People’s Procuratorate issued a new interpretation of the relevant laws in an attempt to resolve issues highlighted by the case. The court found the parrots were “rare or endangered wild animals” and so covered by the law on the trade in such species, but many found this stance unreasonable. These included the green-cheeked parakeet, which is a CITES Appendix II species (meaning countries recognise that if trade is not closely controlled, the species may become threatened with extinction). ![]() ![]() His crime was selling several parrots he had bred in captivity. Six years ago, Wang Peng, a young man from Shenzhen, was sentenced to five years in prison.
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