HAIKOU - Police in South China's Hainan province said Tuesday that they had seized 53 precious or endangered wild animals from one individual.

Forestry police in Ledong county detained a villager, who has only been identified by his surname Zhang, in Liguo town on Nov 25 as part of a wider protection campaign for migratory birds.

During the raid at the suspect's house, police seized 34 live cobras, seven live boas, five live ptyas mucosuses, one dead leopard cat and six dead paguma larvatas.

The boa is a class A protected species in China. Ptyas mucosus and cobra are classified as endangered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The investigation continues.