2010-06-01 16:20

HARBIN - Hunting and fishing will be banned for 10 years in 4 million hectares of forest in Yichun city, in northeast China's Heilongjiang province, from June 11 to protect wildlife and fish, local authorities said Tuesday.

The forest is in the Lesser Hinggan Mountains, one of China's most important forested areas.

The hunting ban will be the first for the mountainous city located in the very northeast corner of China.

The region is home to several rare animals, including the sable, the goosander and the golden eagle, which are all on China's most endangered species list.

According to the government regulation, the hunting of wild birds and net fishing will be illegal during the ban and special licenses will be required for capturing wild animals for scientific research.

Hunting traps are frequently found by rangers in the forest. A wildlife photographer surnamed Wang said he and his friends once removed 50 traps from the forest.