In a concerted effort to safeguard the environment and ecosystem, Chinese government and judicial authorities have reaffirmed their commitment to combating the illegal hunting and trafficking of protected bird species. On Friday, the Supreme People’s Court (SPC), the Ministry of Public Security, and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration released five significant cases to highlight their collaborative approach in addressing this issue. Wu Zhaoxiang, chief judge at the SPC’s Environment and Resources Division, emphasized the critical role of wild birds in maintaining ecosystems essential for human survival. He urged the public to learn from these cases, enhance legal awareness, and actively participate in conservation efforts. Courts across the nation have been instructed to impose severe penalties on individuals involved in the illegal hunting and trafficking of key protected species. One notable case involved a man surnamed Dong, who used glue nets to capture over 880 wild birds, including the nationally protected yellow-breasted bunting. Dong was sentenced to seven years in prison and fined 30,000 yuan ($4,285). Li Chunjie, deputy head of the Ministry of Public Security’s division for investigating cases related to food and medicine safety and environmental protection, stressed the importance of eliminating threats to public security. Police have adopted a ‘zero-tolerance’ stance, confiscating illegal tools such as modified drones, snares, traps, and bird nets to deter wildlife crimes.