Hubei Province in central China has intensified its efforts to protect wild animals, leading to a remarkable increase in the populations of two rare species: the milu deer and the Yangtze finless porpoise, both under first-class state protection in China.
The milu deer, once native to the wetlands of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, vanished from China in the 1900s due to war and natural disasters. In a bid to restore the species, milu deer were reintroduced in 1985 after being brought back from Britain.
The Yangtze finless porpoise, often dubbed the “giant panda of the water,” serves as a crucial indicator of the Yangtze River’s ecological health. These porpoises are found exclusively in the river’s middle and lower sections.
Zhang Rong, director of a documentary showcasing the flourishing ecosystem along the Yangtze River, has dedicated the past seven years to photographing the milu deer at the Tian’ezhou Milu Deer National Nature Reserve in Shishou City, Hubei. Alongside his team, he has witnessed significant growth in both the milu deer and the Yangtze finless porpoise populations.
Established in 1991, the Tian’ezhou Wetland was selected as the site for a nature reserve. Thanks to continuous improvements in the ecological environment, particularly along the Yangtze River, the milu deer population in the reserve has soared from 64 between 1993 and 1994 to over 3,800 today. Similarly, the number of Yangtze finless porpoises has risen from just five to 101 during the same period.
“We need to ensure wild animals thrive on their own without human interference,” Zhang said. “They have their world, and we have ours. The best outcome is when our two worlds coexist in harmony.”
In recent years, Hubei has undertaken significant measures to restore the ecological environment of the river basin. The government has implemented a five-level river and lake chief system, along with forest management, fishing bans, shoreline regulation, and greening initiatives.
“The Yangtze finless porpoise is at the top of the food chain,” Zhang explained. “If there’s enough fish for them, it means the whole ecosystem is healthy. Likewise, if the milu deer can reproduce successfully, it shows that the tidal flats’ ecosystem is in good shape too. If these two species are thriving, the entire water and wetland ecology is doing well.”
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Hubei ramps up rare animal protection efforts, sees populations spike
cgtn.com
