With only about 100 breeding pairs left in the wild, the spoon-billed sandpiper is one of the most endangered birds in the world. These tiny shorebirds are no bigger than a sparrow, yet one of the major threats to the species is illegal trapping for the meat industry.
In various places in China, mist nets, which indiscriminately trap every creature that flies into them, are used to catch huge numbers of migrating shorebirds, including the spoon-billed sandpiper and other critically endangered species.
Conservationists in China say the practice is widespread and apparently getting worse. Although the illegal bird trapping has been reported to the authorities, no action has been taken.
Tell the Chinese government to protect the endangered birds migrating through the country and put an end to illegal shorebird trapping.
We the undersigned ask that you take action to stop the illegal trapping of shorebirds, which is, apparently, a widespread practice and threatening the survival of some critically endangered species, notably the spoon-billed sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus).
Species so endangered that only about a hundred breeding pairs remain cannot tolerate any trapping whatsoever. The large-scale, indiscriminate practice of trapping shorebirds with mist nets must be stopped before it eradicates yet more species from the world.
We urge you to take action on this issue as a matter of urgency.
Thank you for your attention.
