Two residents of Henan province prepare to free animals.[Provided to China Daily]

Although many people cite religious beliefs as their motivation for the unauthorized release of animals into the wild, religious leaders do not condone the practice.

In 2014, the Buddhist Association of China and the Taoist Association of China released a joint statement urging followers to adhere to the law when contemplating releasing animals.

"We have repeatedly appealed to our followers to respect the ecosystem and the laws and regulations before they release any animals," said Huang Xinyang, vice-president of the Taoist Association of China.

However, he conceded that the association's appeals have mainly fallen on deaf ears.

"There is now, increasingly, a chain of interest, with specialist providers and purchasers. Some people who claim to be devoted to freeing animals are really only interested in making money," he said, adding that the lack of effective law enforcement is an important factor in the continuation of the practice.

Both Taoists and Buddhists regard the release of captive wildlife as a demonstration of compassion and kindness, which will result in merit or good karma

Master Hsing Yun, one of the most influential monks in Taiwan, said many people who have released animals are moved primarily by a desire to bring good fortune on themselves and their families.

"Some of the releases are antithetical to the ritual's intended cultivation of compassion. These people are not setting the animals free, just releasing them to die," he said.

The release of captive animals is not only popular in the Chinese mainland, but also in other regions where Taoist and Buddhist beliefs are popular.

In Taiwan, believers spend nearly $6 million every year, and about 200 million animals are released into the wild, according to a recent report by the Society for Conservation Biology, an international organization dedicated to promoting the scientific study of biological diversity.

The release of creatures such as birds, fishes, snakes, frogs, turtles, insects and monkeys has resulted in "extensive biological invasions" on the island, the report said.

He Yun, the China program manager of the Alliance of Religions and Conservation, a secular body in the United Kingdom that helps the world's major religions develop environmental programs, said that even though some religious leaders have appealed to followers to obey the laws and regulations, few have directly condemned the practice.

She said it would be difficult to enforce the ban completely, which means a new approach is required: "We need religious leaders to speak out directly against animal releases for spiritual purposes, and to reinterpret the practice."

By Xu Wei (China Daily)