Hubei ramps up rare animal protection efforts, sees populations spike

Hubei Province in central China has ramped up its efforts to protect wild animals, particularly two rare species: the milu deer and the Yangtze finless porpoise. Both are under first-class state protection in China. The milu deer, originally native to the wetlands of the Yangtze River's middle and lower reaches, disappeared from China in 1900s due to war and natural disasters. The species was reintroduced in 1985, after being brought back from Britain. The Yangtze finless porpoise, often called the "giant panda of the water," serves as a key indicator of the Yangtze River's ecological health. The porpoises are only found in the river's middle and lower sections. Zhang Rong, director of a documentary highlighting the flourishing ecosystem along the Yangtze, has spent the past seven years photographing the milu deer at the Tian'ezhou Milu Deer National Nature Reserve in Hubei's Shishou City. Along with his team, he has witnessed a significant rise in both the milu deer and Yangtze finless porpoise populations. In 1991, experts chose the Tian'ezhou Wetland to establish a nature reserve. Due to ongoing improvements in the ecological environment, especially along the Yangtze River, the milu deer population in the reserve has surged from 64 between 1993 and 1994 to over 3,800 today. The number of Yangtze finless porpoises has grown from just five to 101 over a similar 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 worked to restore the river basin's ecological environment. 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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