After decades of consistent effort, China's endangered species have reversed the trend of continuous decline and started rising steadily during the past 10 years, Yin said.

"Some extremely endangered species are stepping away from the danger of extinction," she said.

Her view is proved by changes in the number of giant pandas, an endangered species native only to China.

More than 2,000 giant pandas were living in the wild in the 1970s. The number dropped to 1,114 in the 1980s, according to two separate surveys.

A third survey conducted from 1999 to 2003 showed that the number had risen to 1,596.

An update on the number of giant pandas is not available as the country is currently conducting the fourth survey, which may last to 2014, according to Yan Xun, chief engineer of the wildlife conservation department under the SFA.

The number of crested ibises, a rare bird species, has risen from only seven in 1981 to more than 1,700 at present thanks to the country's protection and artificial breeding efforts.

The administration is going to vigorously push forward wildlife protection to contribute to safeguarding the biodiversity of China and the whole world, Yin said.

Regarding doubts over the link between China's legal ivory trade and the rising elephant poaching in Africa, Yan Xun, chief engineer of the wildlife conservation department under the SFA, said there is "no necessary connection" between the two.

He said the reasons of rampant poaching are very complex, ranging from resources competition between people and elephants in some countries, wars to illegal trade.

"China has so far gained over 60 tonnes of ivory through international auctions," Yan said, adding the annual combined consumption of China's 37 legal processing companies was no more than 5,000 kilograms.

"China is very tough on ivory smuggling and illegal trade," he said.

The International Day for Biological Diversity, sanctioned by the United Nations, is marked around the world on May 22 each year.