Wildlife Protection with Lenses

by+Xiao+Shibai

Rain Forest Biodiversity

Winter 2013 was abnormal： Hainan Island in southern China had never experienced such a cold weather – weather which threatened the “Ark of Images” campaign on Jianfeng Mountain， a national park featuring untouched tropical rainforests.

Launched in June 2013， Ark of Images involves a team of Chinese naturalists and photographers who are committed to documenting rare species through images in regions such as Hainan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Special studios were established in the wilderness for the collection and documentation of subjects. Along with scientists and photographers， local guides also play a crucial role. Jianfeng Mountain was the first stop of the campaign.

Jianfeng Mountain is believed to be an ideal natural studio for the study of rainforest biodiversity， particularly insects， amphibians and reptiles. The vertical throw of the main forest， spanning 260 square kilometers in area， reaches nearly 1，000 meters. The precipitous cliffs act as a natural protective screen， isolating animals from the outside world and providing shelter for rare species.

In the early 1960s， little attention was paid to natural resources of the mountain. The local government most valued its geographical location of military importance for the South China Sea. However， the military base protected the environment， favoring the survival of insects， birds， reptiles， freshwater fish， and many other animals， such as macaques and black crested gibbons. Nevertheless， the density of the rainforest has determined the destiny of certain species. During the late 1950s， Jianfeng Mountain became a tree farm， which heralded the beginning of logging and a wildlife exodus.

Close Contact

The cold air was wet with drizzle. Everyone was hoping for long-lost sunlight， which meant a chance to see more species.

It began pouring rain at midnight on December 16， 2013. A rare species of frog crept into the tent. Photographers jumped at the unexpected opportunity and put it in a box as if it were gold， hoping it to be a good luck omen for the entire campaign. The temperature jumped from 13 to 21 degrees Celsius by December 20. Occasionally， croaking of frogs resounded through the valley over its winding brook.

The species count dropped drastically soon after tree farmers arrived on Jianfeng Mountain. Fortunately， birds and reptiles have still remained at a healthy density. But even highly-experienced photographers struggle to find wildlife without a little luck.

One evening， a beautiful rat snake popped its head up over the rocks. Taking it back to the studio without harming it would be a major task. Ultimately， the local guide left some herbs at the entrance of the cave which lured it out to be captured in 20 minutes.

Night is a routine time to search for wildlife， which is more active in this forest between 9：00 and 11：00 p.m. Members pair up for the night shift. This photography method was inspired by traditional local hunting. Moreover， the phase of the moon is often helpful for the action. The brighter the moon is， the harder it is to find animals. Such a rule lacks any scientific basis， but centuries of experience of the local Li people supports it. Instinctively， the majority of rainforest animals choose to come out in the dark because bright moonlight makes them feel unsafe.

Biodiversity isnt necessarily measured by the sum total of species in a region. Taken into account are also the entire ecosystem， ecological behavior， and ecological process.

The abundant life in the rainforest brings animals closer together. A microchip was placed under the skin of a king cobra to check its range of activity. Within six days， the male cobra slithered 2.3 kilometers between 600 and 1，000 meters above sea level. On average， it moved 400 meters a day. During this period， sometimes it didnt eat as it searched for other snakes. Three weeks later， it was found swallowing a beautiful Mandarin rat snake 18 kilometers from the camp. Technically speaking， the status of the king cobra is related to the diversity of snakes in the region， an indicator for the situation of all reptiles in the area.

Surveying the ecological environment of Hainan Province shows that intact rainforests are dwindling and it is becoming more difficult to find many species. The difficulty of the Ark of Images campaign lies not only in collection and documentation， but also in its operational cycle. In many regions， animals dont turn up regularly. For this reason， four seasons in a fixed region are necessary to comprehensively complete the program.