Great News for Wild Animals in Shennongjia Forest Region

By Zhai Xingbo, Zhang Shanshan & Xu Zhengguo Translation by Lu Qiongyao & Zhu Yaguang Photos by Xue Yang, Liu Xiang & Yu Ming

The First Alliance of Natural Reserves in Central China

June 9, 2018 was the second “Cultural and Natural Heritage Day” in China, which was also a historic anniversary of wildlife protection in Central China. On this day,representatives from Shennongjia National Park, Duheyuan National Nature Reserve, 18-li(i.e. 9 km) Long Canyon National Nature Reserve, Badong Golden Monkey Nature Reserve, the Three Gorges Wanchaoshan Mountain Nature Reserve,Yintiaoling National Nature Reserve, and Wulipo National Nature Reserve gathered in Kande Grand Land Hotel in Muyu Town of Shennongjia and established the first alliance of nature reserves in Central China. The latter two reserves are from Chongqing City,and the other five are all from Hubei Province.

Shennongjia in Central China is the only well-preserved virgin forest ecosystem located in the middle latitudes of the Earth, and a sanctuary for rare and endangered wildlife. It was located at the mysterious latitude 31 degrees north where some other natural and human miracles are located, such as Mount Everest, the Egyptian Pyramids, the Bermuda Triangle,and Sanxingdui, all of which are full of unsolved mysteries.Shengnongjia is a paradise for golden monkeys, the home of giant pandas, and a habitat for various “albino” animals. Here reside many national first-level protected wild animals such as clouded leopards, leopards, dwarf musk deer, golden eagles, and oriental white storks, and secondlevel protected wild animals such as Mrs. Gould’s sunbird, golden pheasants, jackals, black bears,yellow-throated martens, serows,giant salamanders, Chinese luehdorfia, Carabus dovidi, and otters

Liu Qijun, director of the Administration Bureau of Shennongjia National Park,said that the aim of establishing such an alliance was to create a mechanism which was jointly shared by various protected areas in western Hubei Province and eastern Chongqing, so that a format of “joint protection” could be built while the consistency and integrity of regional ecosystems can be improved. These nature reserves share a high degree of similarity in the aspects of climatic conditions, ecological environment, biodiversity,species distribution, and cultural customs, therefore, an extra area of more than 100,000 square kilometers has now been added to the 3,000 square kilometers for wildlife activity in Shennongjia Forest Region thanks to the establishment of the Alliance.By then wild animals will be able to run as far and as fast as they please, while still enjoying the benefits of protection no matter which reserve zone they enter.As Hu Xinghuan of the Hubei Provincial Forestry Department said, this means the migration passage of golden monkeys in Shennongjia could reach as far as Yeren Valley in the North, Badong in the South, and Chongqing in the West. The Wildlife Alliance is undoubtedly great news for wildlife animals.

Su Yang, researcher from the Development Research Center of the State Council, and Zhu Chun, chief representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)in China, both commented that, different from those of some countries in the world,people and wildlife live together in harmony in the national parks and nature reserves in China. Facts have proved that when people in the reserve understand the importance of nature conservation, they will not threaten animals, instead, they can become good friends with wild animals.

華中第一個保護地聯盟結成

2018年6月9日是我國第二個“文化和自然遺產日”，更是華中地區野生動物保護的一個歷史性紀念日。神農架國家公園、重慶陰條嶺國家級自然保護區、湖北堵河源國家級自然保護區、重慶五里坡國家級自然保護區、湖北十八里長峽國家級自然保護區、湖北巴東金絲猴自然保護區、湖北三峽萬朝山自然保護區等7個成員單位在神農架的木魚鎮康帝君蘭酒店，結成華中第一個自然保護地聯盟。

中國中部地區的神農架，是地球中緯度地區唯一保存完好的原始森林生態系統和珍稀瀕危動植物庇護所，與珠穆朗瑪峰、埃及金字塔、百慕大三角、三星堆等自然人文奇跡同處在神秘的北緯31度，有眾多未解之謎。 她是金絲猴的樂園、大熊貓的故地，是各種“白化”動物的棲息地，有云豹、金錢豹、林麝、金雕、東方白鸛等國家一級保護野生動物，還有藍喉太陽鳥、紅腹錦雞、豺、黑熊、黃喉貂、鬣羚、大鯢、中華虎鳳蝶、碩步甲和水獺等國家二級保護動物。

神農架國家公園管理局局長劉啟俊說，建立自然保護地聯盟，旨在創建鄂西渝東各類保護地協同共建的工作機制，努力構建“共抓大保護”格局，提高區域生態系統的連通性完整性和完整性。這一系列自然保護地在氣候條件、生態環境、生物多樣性、物種分布和文化風俗等方面均具有高度的相似性。這就是說，保護地聯盟建立以后，野生動物的活動面積，從之前的3000多平方公里一下增加十幾萬平方公里，它們可以更加歡快地奔跑，無論跑到哪個保護區，都能得到共同的關愛和保護。正如湖北省林業廳胡興煥說，神農架金絲猴遷徙廊道北上可到野人谷，南下可到巴東，西進可達重慶，自然保護地聯盟對野生動物無疑是件大好事。

中國國務院發展研究中心研究員蘇楊和世界自然保護聯盟（IUCN）駐華首席代表朱春全都表示，中國國家公園與自然保護區與世界一些國家的國家公園不同。在中國的國家公園和自然保護區，人與野生動物和諧相處。事實證明，只要區內人員都明白自然保護的重要性，人就不會威脅動物，反而會成為野生動物更好的伙伴。

Habitat Corridor—A Wildlife Overpass

Due to the interference of human activities and the crossing of the 209 National Highway and other tourist highways, some species in the ecosystems were relatively isolated from others, which posed a threat to regional biodiversity protection and ecological security,and restricted wild animals’migration and activities.

In order to promote the interactions of species and connectivity of the ecosystem in the Shennongjia and Pan-Shennongjia regions in western Hubei and eastern Chongqing,Shennongjia National Park has initiated a wildlife passage program by building habitat passages in places where entry and exit of animals has been restricted so that wild animals could run freely. These passages blended into nature with the construction of naturally fallen trees, strangler vines, lichen,and other primitive forest elements. The result was a naturally integrated environment.Infrared monitoring equipment was installed near the passages to photograph and observe the adaptation of wild animals and promote wildlife protection and research. As a result, a special“road and passage network” was built to enable wild animals to come and go as they please.

On June 8, we saw an arched overpass near the Great Dragon Pool in Shennongjia National Park, which was actually a fallen century-old tree spanning over the trail in the woods. It was covered with wild flowers, grass,and moss, and properly trimmed by people. As a result, it became a dedicated animal overpass, on which dozens of golden monkeys were seen scurrying by.

According to Li Chunqing,deputy director of the Service Bureau of Shennongjia National Park, there were more than 20 overpasses like this in Shennongjia, including a multipurpose animal tree bridge, two overpasses for golden monkeys,and more than 20 simple passages along the highway and food supply points for birds in the Dajiu Lake wetlands.

生境廊道 Habitat Corridor

生境廊道——野生動物的天橋

由于人類活動干擾及209國道與旅游公路阻隔，部分物種生態系統處于相對隔離，對區域生物多樣性保護與生態安全構成威脅，對野生動物的遷徙和活動形成限制。

為促進神農架，乃至鄂西、渝東等泛神農架區域生境板塊間物種交流和生態系統功能連通，讓野生動物暢跑在叢林中，神農架國家公園啟動野生動物通道項目，在野生動物出入受影響的地方修建生境廊道。工人們把這些通道融入自然倒伏的樹木、藤本絞殺植物、苔蘚地衣等原始森林元素，與周圍環境渾然一體，并在通道附近架設紅外監控設備，實時拍攝、觀測野生動物適應通道情況，促進野生動物保護與研究，形成野生動物專用“路橋網”，使野生動物暢通無阻。

6月8日，記者在神農架國家公園大龍潭附近看到一座拱形天橋，這是一棵倒了的百年古樹，橫跨林中山路，上面布滿野花、青草、苔蘚，經工人們完善，渾然成了一座動物專用的“過街天橋”，幾十只金絲猴可以一瞬間從上面通過。

神農架國家公園管理局副局長李純清介紹，像這樣的野生動物通道，神農架共有20余處，包括1處綜合動物樹橋通道、2處金絲猴樹橋通道、20余處公路沿線簡易通道和大九湖濕地鳥類食物補給點。

From a Hunter to a Golden Monkey Breeder

Tian Sigen, now aged 61, has retired from his work and left the Great Dragon Pool Golden Monkey Conservation Base in Shennongjia where he worked for 8 years.

Yang Jingyuan, director of the Science Research Institute at Administrative Bureau of Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, was reluctant to see Mr.Tian off. From a hunting master to a golden monkey guardian, Tian has witnessed the vicissitude of the forest.

Tian became a hunter in his early 20s, and his hunting career lasted for 20 years. At that time,dwarf musk deer, wild goats,and wild boars could be seen everywhere in the mountains, and he never returned empty-handed when he went hunting. “I could hunt more than 30 musk deer every year, which sold at 50 yuan each, while the price of an egg was only 0.02 yuan.” Said Tian. It was the high income that attracted more and more people to become hunters.

With the sound of gunshots becoming more frequent and intense, animals living in the mountain were dwindling away.

After the launch of the Natural Forest Protection Program, Tian handed in his shotgun, burnt the animal heads hanging all over his door frame, and quit hunting.

However, he had only 3mu(equal to 0.2 hectare) of land, and,by planting corn and potatoes, he could barely support his family.In order to make up the gap of his income, Tian had to take many part-time jobs.

Later, Tian joined the Great Dragon Pool Golden Monkey C o n s e r v a t i o n B a s e, a n d shouldered the responsibility of feeding golden monkeys. “Feeding them is just like looking after your own children. Punctuality is very important for the three meals every day.” After accompanying the golden monkeys for years, Tian now regards them as his family. At his last day of work, Tian stayed at the conversation base for a long while, feeling upset. “I just want to take a few more looks at them,”Tian bemoaned.

田思根與金絲猴結下不解之緣Tian Sigen and his golden monkey friends

獵人變身猴伴

61歲的田思根退休了，離開工作了8年的神農架大龍潭金絲猴保護基地。

目送老田離開，神農架國家公園管理局科學研究院院長楊敬元很不舍：從捕獵能手到金絲猴守護者，老田見證了林區的滄桑巨變。

田思根20歲出頭就端起獵槍，做了20年獵人。彼時，大山里林麝、野羊、野豬四處可見。每次進山，他總不會空手而歸。“一年可以打30多個林麝，一個麝香賣50元，而當時一個雞蛋才2分錢。”田思根說，高收入吸引人們紛紛加入打獵行列。

山間回響的槍聲越來越密集，山里的動物越來越少。

國家天保工程啟動后，田思根交出了獵槍，燒掉了掛滿門框的獸頭，不再上山打獵。

可家中只有3畝地，種點玉米、洋芋只能糊口，為填補收入缺口，田思根只得四處打零工補貼家用。

后來，田思根加入大龍潭金絲猴保護基地，擔負起喂養金絲猴的重任。“喂養金絲猴，就像養自己的孩子一樣。每日三餐必須定時。”幾年朝夕陪伴，金絲猴已如家人。離別之日，田思根在基地久久不愿離去。“我還想多看幾眼金絲猴。”田思根頗為不舍。

猴寶寶在林間愉快玩耍 A baby monkey playing in the forest

Six Newborns in the Golden Monkey Family

At the end of last month,several golden monkey mothers holding their newborn babies were seen playing in the wild forests by the research base in the Great Dragon Pool of Shennongjia National Park.According to the staff, the golden monkey is currently in their peak breeding season. Six baby monkeys had been born in the first half of the year.

The golden monkey usually breeds from the beginning of March to the end of May each year. Female monkeys usually conceived between August and October in the previous year, with a pregnancy of nearly 200 days.Mother monkeys usually gave birth once every two years, with one baby per pregnancy. It takes mother monkey one year to feed the baby monkey.

Ever since the Great Dragon Pool Golden Monkey Research Base started feeding the monkeys in the winter of 2005, a group of monkeys have lived here. Every year a certain number of baby golden monkeys are born, with a survival rate of 100%. Compared to the number of golden monkeys in the 1980s when it was at its lowest, the number now in Shennongjia has more than doubled, exceeding 1,300.

金絲猴家族喜添六仔

從上月下旬開始，幾只金絲猴媽媽抱著剛出生的寶寶在神農架國家公園大龍潭金絲猴野外研究基地山林中嬉戲。工作人員介紹，目前正值金絲猴產仔高峰期，上半年已有6只小猴出生。

金絲猴每年3月初至5月末產仔，母猴一般在頭年的8月至10月受孕，孕期近200天。每只母猴通常兩年產仔一次，一次一胎，母猴要用一年時間來哺育小金絲猴。大龍潭金絲猴研究基地自2005年冬季對金絲猴人工投食以來，吸引了一個固定種群，每年都會出生一定數量的小金絲猴，成活率達100%。目前，神農架金絲猴數量比20世紀80年代最少時增加一倍多，已經達到1300多只。

金絲猴一家子 A golden monkey family