Page 85 - World of Animals - Issue #30

Sichuan saviours
Almost a Scott Wilson, head of field programmes at Chester
thumb Zoo, talks about the zoo’s contributions to the
Pandas have evolved Sichuan Forest Biodiversity Project and the China
a pseudo-thumb to grasp Conservation Programme, in collaboration with the
bamboo tightly and strip it Sichuan Forestry Department and Liverpool John Moore’s University
of shoots and leaves. Instead
of being a true opposable What is the Sichuan Forest Biodiversity Project, and why is
thumb, the bone is it important?
actually part of It started off as a pheasant research project looking at pheasants as
the wrist. an indicator species. The forests were identified as hotspots in terms
of bird migration from Russia through to Asia. Plus a lot of endemic
animals, plants and birds are found there that aren’t found in other
places in China. Certainly for the red pandas and the giant pandas, if
these forests go then the species are going as well. From here, the
project spilled over into a lot of community and education work.
What are the main aims and successes of the project so far?
The broad aim is really to get a strong protected area network in
the forests that make a nice corridor for key species in the region.
So far we have achieved national protected area status from the
government for two of the sites that we have been working with.

Which native Sichuan species does the project focus on, and
how does it help?
The pheasants are always a focus – there’s a lot of them that exist
just in that region! The giant and red pandas are found in a number
of forests and reserves that we work in. Interestingly, last year in
the Mamize Reserve our camera traps recorded the most southerly
range of the giant panda.
We work a lot with the government wildlife agency. We train them
in monitoring techniques, how to put out camera traps, how to walk
transects, etc. We also work with the communities around the edge
of the parks. We have helped set up biogas stoves (reducing the
need for firewood by about 80 per cent), beekeeping and many other
schemes that mean people don’t need to rely on activities that take
from and damage the forest.
How can World Of Animals readers get involved?
Our flagship for the fieldwork that we do is the Act For Wildlife
website (www.actforwildlife.org.uk) – that’s our one-stop-shop to
find plenty of blogs and information about all of our field projects and
how to get involved.

Chinese muntjac Chinese giant salamander Tufted deer
Muntjac deer are a small species, reaching just 50 The world’s largest amphibian at nearly two Similar in size to the muntjac deer, the tufted deer
centimetres (20 inches) at the shoulder. They live metres (6.6 feet) in length, this salamander lives is characterised by a large tuft of fur on the top © Sol90; Thinkstock; Nature PL; FLPA; Adrea
as solitary individuals or in pairs, marking their in cool, fast-flowing mountain streams. It is fully of its head and a pair of curious elongated canine
territory using glands on the face. Most active aquatic but lacks gills, instead absorbing oxygen teeth that protrude, fang-like, from the mouths
at dawn and dusk, muntjac are also known to through its skin. It is threatened by habitat of males. Tufted deer live in damp, mountainous
vocalise with a bark, much like dogs. destruction and illegal hunting for the food trade. forests, close to the tree line.

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