禁食野生动物:法律规制的目的和限度——以新冠肺炎疫情为例证的分析和反思

新冠肺炎疫情的发生暴露了我国野生动物保护立法在禁止食用野生动物源头制度设计上的不足,引发了社会舆论对“全面禁止食用野生动物”的强烈呼吁。审视我国《野生动物保护法》,立法目的理念中并没有体现保障公众健康的内容;对捕食野生动物没有采取完全禁止的态度,而是根据野生动物的珍稀、濒危程度,生态、科学、社会价值,以及是否为人工繁育等多重标准,分别采取了禁止食用、限制食用、特别许可、支持利用等不同的措施,存在失之过宽的问题;野生动物保护范围不周延,一些可能引发疫病传播的野生动物没有纳入保护范围。回应社会关切,对立法中存在的问题进行理性分析,应当尽快修改《野生动物保护法》,矫正立法目的理念,体现对公众健康安全的保障;扩大野生动物的保护范围,并制定相应的管制规范;实现相关立法的衔接,建立以“全面禁止食用为原则,分类限制禁止食用为补充”的野生动物风险防范制度。从源头上防范野生动物病毒传播引发重大公共卫生风险,实现保护野生动物与保障公众健康安全的有机统一。

The objectives and scope of China's legal regulation on the prohibition of wild animal consumption:a reflection on the epidemic of COVID-19

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease(COVID-19)has exposed the deficiency of China’s wildlife legislation in the system design of prohibiting the consumption of wild animals,and has aroused a strong appeal from the public for a 1otal ban on the consumption of wild animals'.Through a review of China*s Wild Animal Conservation Law,this study finds that the legislative objectives does not actually reflect the ideal of safeguarding the safety of public health.A proper attitude has not been established for a complete prohibition against capturing and consuming wild animals.Instead,different measures,such as prohibition and restriction of food consumption and utilization under special permission and support,are suggested according to the rare and endangered degree of wild animals,their ecological,scientific and social values,as well as other criteria such as whether an animal is artificially bred or not.However,the law is deficient in its incomprehensive scope for wildlife conservation;some wild animals that can potentially cause the spread of epidemic diseases are not included in the scope of conservation.In response to die social concerns,we should make a rational analysis of the existing problems in the legislation and provide a timely amendment of the Wild Animal Conservation Law to modify its objectives and mission,in order to address the appeal for public health safety.We should also expand the scope of wildlife conservation to include the wild animals that may cause the spread of epidemic diseases and to formulate corresponding regulatory norms.Furthermore,a responsible wildlife conservation system should be established with a comprehensive ban on wildlife consumption as die main principle and a classified system of prohibition and restriction as a supplement.Finally,we should prevent die transmission of wild animal viruses that could cause major public health risks from their sources and realize the organic unity of protecting wild animals and ensuring public health safety.