China's top court calls for harsher punishment of wildlife crimes

(ECNS) -- China's Supreme People's Court has called for stricter punishment of wildlife-related crimes, highlighting the judiciary's efforts to strengthen biodiversity conservation and ecological protection.

The top court on Wednesday released details of five representative cases, urging courts nationwide to enhance judicial protection for key ecosystems, endangered species and genetic resources, while promoting public awareness of biodiversity conservation.

In one case, a man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for illegally hunting snow leopards, a national first-class protected species in China. The ruling underscored the country's tough stance against crimes that threaten rare and endangered wildlife.

(By Kira)