China will introduce new regulations aimed at improving the living conditions of animals raised for the fur industry, a forestry official announced.

"The State Forestry Administration (SFA) has enacted a series of regulations on wildlife rearing techniques," said Zhuo Rongsheng, director of the wildlife and plants protection department of the SFA, at a press conference on Monday.

Along with the new regulations, the administration is set to offer training courses for fur-farming factory personnel.

Some fur-farming factories have been found to rear animals in poor living conditions and their slaughtering and skinning practices do not meet authorized standards, according to the SFA.

A probe into the skinning of live raccoons, for instance, found that the practice was not widespread. Zhuo acknowledged: "Initial investigations found that (skinning a live animal) is bad for fur quality and also decreases production efficiency, so it is by no means the commonly accepted practice."

(Xinhua News Agency March 1, 2006)