Young rangers guard wildlife in northwest China's national park

A team of four young people has been working in the heart of China's Qilian Mountain National Park to protect and provide medical care for wild animals inhabiting the area. The Qilian Mountain National Park, located at the border of northwest China's Gansu and Qinghai provinces, is home to thousands of rare wildlife species, including snow leopards, Pallas's cats and bharals. It is one of ten newly established national parks in the country. Ma Cunxin, head of the wildlife rehabilitation and breeding station in the park, together with his team members, shoulders the responsibility of rescuing wild animals and monitoring the ecology of the park. "As a child, I loved small animals. So, I chose to study biology at university. During several field expeditions with my tutor, I developed a great fondness for wild animals," he said. The station has recorded the movement of many rare wild animals and provide support for biological population monitoring in the park. "We've set up cameras to monitor various ecosystems. One camera captured five snow leopards in a single image, and another, six Pallas's cats. We've also filmed Chinese mountain cats breeding at the highest altitude ever recorded. These are significant achievements for us," said Ma. The park spans a vast area. The small team, including two women, are stationed at a remote location in its center. Their work can be highly challenging. "Many of the wild animals we find can't be saved. We feel quite helpless. It's heart-breaking," said Xu Fengyi, a ranger at the wildlife rehabilitation and breeding station. "This isn't the career path my family wanted me to follow. There is, as they say, little future in it. But I think the meaning of life is different for everyone," said Zhu Hongyi, another ranger. The harsh environment and tiring daily routine often present difficulties, but the young people say the joy of saving a life banishes misgivings. "When an injured animal is rehabilitated and returned to nature through the hard work of our staff, it makes me feel wonderful to be part of this process," said Ma Jinglin, a member of the station.

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