YINCHUAN - Two men in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region have received jail terms for killing protected forest musk deer.

One surnamed Lan was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the People's Court of Jingyuan county, Guyuan city, after being found guilty of snaring and killing eight deer in Linyou county, Shaanxi province, in September and October 2016.

Lan was apprehended at an expressway service zone in Gansu province by forest police in late October 2016, while transporting musk glands.

The other also with the surname of Lan was sentenced to six years after being convicted of killing four deer.

Forest musk deer, the smallest of all musk deer species, are hunted by poachers because the musk they secrete is believed to have high medicinal value and is a valuable ingredient in perfume.