Protected plant list updated

"If only the jellyfish snowshoe hare is included in the secondary protection, it may threaten other species. After all, the snowshoe rabbit is extremely rare. Each of the snow rabbits growing near the high mountain stream are of great significance to the ecological environment," Sun says. "After years of severe cold and accumulation of sufficient nutrients, they bloom only once. When the poachers have their hands on them, the fate of a plant will be changed for several years, and it will cause incalculable environmental damages."

Sun and Gu both recommend that all species of snowshoe rabbits be listed as key protected plants. They believe this is the common expectation of the whole society and an urgent need to protect the fragile ecology of the mountains.

"Although China has initially established a system of laws and regulations, there is still a lack of laws and regulations regarding behaviors that have a potential impact on the country's ecological security and biological safety," Sun says.