Campaign aims to deter foreign species

Over past six months, 1,405 animals and plants found in deliveries or on travelers

China has launched a special three-year campaign targeting foreign species to protect the country's ecosystem.

The General Administration of Customs said in a notice that the campaign aims to crack down on the introduction, handling, delivery and smuggling of these species. During the first half of this year, customs officials found 1,405 live animals and plants while conducting inspections of inbound deliveries and travelers, the administration said.

With the rapid development of international trade and frequent people-to-people exchanges, there are increasingly more ways for foreign species to be brought into the country, the administration said.

Customs officials in Fuzhou, Fujian province, recently came across 24 Indian jumping ants while inspecting imported goods. They were found in a test tube with cotton and nutrients.

The ants have the ability to jump when alarmed and have long mandibles that can cause severe pain when they bite.

And in Jinling, Nanjing, Jiangsu province, customs officials discovered 378 harvester ants in inbound deliveries. These ants are known for collecting and storing seeds that they use as their primary food source. They are typically found in Mediterranean regions and are known to have large foraging areas.

Foreign species have also been discovered among travelers who attempted to carry them through ports while entering China.

For example, on June 29, customs authorities in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, found a woman trying to enter the country with live snakes.

Officials noted that her body was shaped strangely and inspected her. They discovered that there were reptiles placed inside silk stockings that had been wrapped around her bosom.

Li Chunding, a professor at China Agricultural University, said that with no natural predators, foreign species could have a severely negative impact on the nation's agricultural production and overall ecology. Some may be toxic, while others may be exceptional breeders or be very destructive, so efforts need to be made to address the problem of their presence at its source, he said.

In addition, some of these species may carry viruses, bacteria or fungi that can endanger people who are exposed to them, said Zhang Jingshuo, deputy head of the National Zoological Museum of China.

The administration said that customs officials will improve the nation's inspection system at ports by using more advanced technology and smart equipment and conducting more risk analysis.