Guangdong Province has started accepting applications for licences to farm or trade in wildlife deemed acceptable for commercial purposes, reports Southern Metropolis News.

The State Forestry Bureau released a list of 54 kinds of wildlife, including deer and peacocks, earlier this month. Civet cat, despite suspicions that it may have transmitted the SARS virus to humans, is also on the list.

Farmers raising exotic game not on the list can keep the animals on their farms until the bureau releases a second list of wildlife permissible for commercial sale and consumption.

The Provincial Forestry Bureau has promised to set up a special selling channel for all banned wildlife to reduce farmers' losses.

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