Government officials said Monday that the illegal hunting of birds was rampant in some areas of China, with many creatures ending up on the dinner plate. The problem was particularly bad in southern China, where people often eat birds.

Officials warned that national ecosystems and biodiversity were under threat and the illegal behavior to birds should be tackled strictly according to law.

The campaign is focused on the resting place and habitats of birds, such as the regions around the Bohai Sea, the lower reaches of the Yellow River and the coastal regions of Shandong and Jiangsu provinces.

China is one of the countries with rich bird resources. According to statistics from the State Forestry Administration, there are more than 1,300 bird species in the country, accounting for 13.5 percent of the world's total. Besides, many migratory birds from other countries pass through the country every year.

(Xinhua News Agency December 17, 2002)