Curbing China 's appetite for wild game is just the beginning of the war against illegal poaching , say conservationists . Last week , the Standing Committee of the National People 's Congress ( NPC ) clarified the country 's laws on the illegal wildlife trade . Anyone who eats endangered species , or buys them for other purposes , is punishable by up to 10 years in jail , state-run news agency Xinhua reported . Cheryl Lo , a spokesperson for the World Wide Fund for Nature who is based in Hong Kong , told CNN she is `` very happy '' that the announcement comes with a long list of protected species . `` The law has always been there , but the interpretation has cleared up the ambiguity . Now it is clear that consumers have to bear responsibility . But we still have to watch if they will actually enforce and execute on the legislation , '' she said . China has 420 animals on a list of officially protected endangered species . It includes the giant panda and golden monkey . Many species on the list are illegally traded for their meat , organs or body fluids , considered delicacies and prized for their supposed medicinal properties . Indigenous to China , the endangered pangolin can be found on restaurant menus selling for as much as RMB 2,000 ( $ 324 ) a dish . The cuora trifasciata , more commonly known as `` golden coin turtle , '' is traditionally used in making a medicinal jelly . Nowadays , both wild and farmed turtles are very expensive and less commonly used in mass-marketed medicinal turtle jellies . The high cost involved in feasting on endangered species means the meals are a status symbol . Now , those hungry for a taste of the wild will have to think twice before taking a bite . Rhino horn more valuable than gold . In a 2013 report , the International Fund for Animal Welfare found that the illegal wildlife trade ranks fourth in the world as the most lucrative criminal activity internationally , behind narcotics , counterfeiting and human trafficking . And prices for animal items continue to rise . Ivory costs up to $ 1,000 per pound , while rhino horn is more valuable than gold or platinum , according to the report . `` We have lobbied against the selling of shark fin in Hong Kong for a long time with no results , '' said Lo . `` Last year , mainland China announced a ban on sharks fin at official banquets and Hong Kong also banned shark fin , bluefin tuna and black moss ( at official functions ) . `` Then China decided to destroy confiscated ivory and Hong Kong will follow next month . So I do see a trend of stepping up efforts to protect species in the region . '' Hong Kong will burn 28 tonnes of seized ivory on May 15 , the largest stockpile to ever be destroyed . But Lo points out that consumers and retailers on the black market are only one part of the puzzle . `` We need to see a lot of effort from many different angles in order to protect endangered species and recover the dwindling populations . `` Population decline can be due to threats to their habitat through urban encroachment , conflicts with agricultural producers , climate change , as well as poaching , '' says the activist .
Illegal wildlife is fourth most lucrative in the world , behind human consumption . Eating endangered species is now a criminal offense in China , punishable by 10 years in prison . Humans are just one part of the problem , says China .