The Xiangtou Mountain Nature Reserve has been open to the public for the past decade, and my opportunity to intern there was granted only after I passed an interview with the reserve’s research staff. It is important to note that the various entrances to the reserve are strictly controlled, with forest rangers and local police stationed at key points. These stringent security measures are primarily in place to protect one of the reserve’s most rare and critically endangered species—the Chinese pangolin.
The main reason for the Chinese pangolin’s risk of extinction is its extremely high medicinal value in traditional Chinese medicine. Its scales are believed to have the ability to treat various ailments, including cancer. As a result, pangolin scales are highly prized, putting the species under constant threat of poaching and illegal trafficking. The Xiangtou Mountain Nature Reserve is one of the few remaining places in China where traces of the Chinese pangolin still exist, and the population here is relatively stable. Therefore, the reserve is a crucial habitat for this species, which had once faced functional extinction in the wild. To protect it, the reserve has been forced to implement strict access control measures.
However, this protective measure has led to a paradox: the original purpose of the reserve was to promote the concept of ecological conservation to the public, but due to the presence of endangered species, the reserve is unable to remain fully open to the public, creating a contradictory situation. Ideally, the reserve should attract public attention and involvement, yet the need to safeguard these rare species means that access is restricted. Additionally, as a national-level protected area directly under government jurisdiction, the reserve does not have a significant degree of autonomy. In other words, the researchers do not have decision-making authority regarding the development direction or internal resource management of the reserve. This situation reminded me of my experience studying abroad in the United States. During an ecology class at Brown University, I visited a farm that functioned similarly to a reserve. It was managed by a non-profit organization, supplying some food to its staff and donating the rest to local villagers. The farm’s funding came from donors who were interested in its operations. However, the Xiangtou Mountain Reserve cannot adopt this model, as it is a state-run facility, and its funding and operations are more tightly controlled by the government.
From this perspective, the development of the reserve is heavily constrained. While these restrictions are necessary, they represent a form of helplessness. In order to ensure the survival of the pangolin population, stakeholders have had to forgo certain potentially impactful strategies. This may be a necessary choice.
Reflecting on the fates of the pangolin and the giant panda, one cannot help but compare these two species that were once on the brink of extinction. The revival of the giant panda is partly attributed to human attention and conservation efforts. As an animal with great public appeal, the giant panda has become a symbol of ecological conservation. Human protection of the giant panda is not limited to material support but also includes intangible promotional efforts. This "IP effect" has helped advance panda conservation, resulting in rapid recovery of wild populations within just a few years or decades. However, species like the giant panda, which are fortunate enough to capture public interest, are rare. Many species, when they become critically endangered, quietly disappear from the planet without receiving adequate attention. Species such as the crested ibis and golden snub-nosed monkey, which also deserve attention, though they are beloved by some, have not received sufficient support.
To some extent, this phenomenon is deeply regrettable. On one hand, these species lack the survival and adaptability capabilities of more common creatures like sparrows, making it difficult for them to attract the same level of social attention and conservation efforts as the giant panda. On the other hand, this situation highlights the immense challenges faced in ecological conservation, where many species fade into oblivion, unnoticed, just when they are on the verge of extinction.
Perhaps this situation can be best described by the saying "angry for its lack of competition, saddened by its misfortune." While there may be a dark humor in this, it also speaks to the difficult reality of species survival. The "anger for its lack of competition" reflects the inability of these species to adapt like sparrows, and the "sadness for its misfortune" highlights their inability to attract public attention like the giant panda. Despite this, ecological conservation remains a necessary mission, no matter how difficult. As we have seen, the survival of many species depends not only on their adaptability but also on society’s attention and protection.
This paradox of ecological protection encapsulates a broader dilemma in conservation: the tension between safeguarding biodiversity and allowing public engagement. The strict limitations on public access, though essential for protecting endangered species, may hinder broader public awareness and support for conservation efforts. Ideally, finding a balanced approach that both protects these species and involves the public in conservation initiatives could create a more sustainable and widespread understanding of the importance of ecological preservation. The situation with the Chinese pangolin reflects the broader global challenge of preserving lesser-known species that, without the same public appeal as iconic species like pandas, often fail to garner the necessary support for their survival. This underscores the need for a more inclusive and holistic approach to conservation, one that recognizes the value of all species, regardless of their popularity or public appeal.
