China urges greater wildlife protection efforts

Greater efforts from the government and public are needed to protect China's wildlife, a promotional campaign on Sunday urged. The launch of the campaign in Beijing by the State Forestry Administration was attended by foreign embassies' representatives as well as officials from the United Nations Environment Programme and the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A campaign press release said environmental pollution, logging and illegal trading remained a threat to wildlife and their habitats. The government and public need to take more measures to improve protection. Under joint efforts by the government and the public, the situation of more than 70 extremely endangered species, such as wild pandas and crested ibis, is improving. Habitats are also improving, according to the press release. The campaign came ahead of World Wildlife Day on Monday. The United Nations General Assembly decided March 3 as World Wildlife Day, to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's wild fauna and flora.