A gecko Photo: VCG

Two men in Central China's Henan Province were recently arrested, facing criminal charges after they were caught using homemade sticky poles to catch 44 geckos on August 14. 

The geckos that were captured have been released back into the wild, local media outlet qlwb.com reported, citing a recent briefing released by local police in Zhoukou city, Henan Province.

The act of illegally capturing geckos may seem trivial, but it can lead to serious consequences, as demonstrated by the case, media reports said.

Geckos are classified as protected animals, meaning they have important ecological, scientific, and social value. Hunting just one gecko illegally is considered a violation, with 20 or more geckos leading to criminal charges, and 50 or more being classified as a major offense. 

The incident is not an isolated one. The local police previously reported a case in August 2022 where over 300 geckos were illegally captured. The suspects admitted to their crimes of illegally hunting geckos for profit. The geckos they captured were identified as Chinese geckos, which are listed in the national directory of protected land wildlife with important ecological and scientific value.

In a similar case, the Beijing police cracked down on an illegal wildlife hunting last October. The police investigated and discovered that the suspect had captured over 30 birds, including species like the red-throated flycatcher and the red-flanked bluetail, which are also classified as protected animals. 

According to media reports, China is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, with rich and unique ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity. Since signing the Convention on Biological Diversity in 1992, China has placed a high priority on biodiversity conservation and has made significant progress in protecting flagship species like the giant panda and the Yangtze finless porpoise. 

Global Times