Successful elephant return shows growing opposition to mistreatment of animals

Timeline

2010: The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development issues a guideline to further improve zoo management. It also bans all performances by animals.

2014: For the first time, the top forestry and customs authorities publicly destroy all ivory discovered and seized by law enforcement operations. More than 6 metric tons of ivory and ivory products are destroyed in the southern province of Guangdong.

2015: The Changtang Tibetan Antelope and Wild Yak National Park is established in the Tibet autonomous region. It is China's first national park for the conservation of wild animals.

2016: The newly revised Wildlife Protection Law is adopted by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, the nation's top legislative body. The law stipulates that abuse of wildlife is strictly prohibited.

2018: A complete ban on the sale and processing of all ivory comes into force on Jan 1.

2019: A center for research on the Asian elephant is established in the southwestern province of Yunnan to offer technological support for future policymaking.

2020: The NPC Standing Committee issues a ruling to completely ban the illegal trade in animals and the consumption of terrestrial wildlife.

2021: The nation's top forestry and agriculture authorities amend the list of 988 kinds of wild animals under the highest level of protection. It is the first time the list has been updated since 1989, and adds 517 more species to the register.