Wen Chujun sets up an infrared camera in a patch of woodland on Wutong Mountain in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Provided to China Daily
In early April, a member of a biodiversity survey team of the Luohu bureau of the Ecology and Environment Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality, and his fellow team members trekked into the forest of Wutong Mountain, the highest peak in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. In remote and scattered corners of the forest, they set up four cameras with infrared sensors triggered by heat.
In September, the team members collected data from the cameras. While sorting and analyzing footage earlier last month, they found images of a wild Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla). It marks the first recorded sighting of this rare species in Shenzhen's Luohu district in over 30 years.
"It was a pleasant surprise for us," Huang Qin, technical adviser of the survey team, told China Daily. "It's evidence of the effectiveness of our environmental conservation efforts in the area."
An image of a Chinese pangolin is captured by an infrared camera in Shenzhen's Luohu district. Provided to China Daily
On the brink of extinction
One of the last surviving species of scaly mammals in the world, the pangolin has existed on Earth for at least 50 million years, primarily inhabiting tropical and subtropical regions in Africa and Asia. Among the nine known pangolin species, the Chinese pangolin is one of the most critically threatened.
Since 2014, it has been classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and in 2020 China elevated its protection status from second-class to a first-class protected wild animal.
The Chinese pangolin was once widely distributed across southern areas of China, including Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and in neighboring countries. Due to the demand for traditional Chinese medicine and wildlife products, China was once one of the largest consumer markets for pangolins and their products, according to a report in Southern Metropolis Daily.
Statistics from medicinal herb departments show that in the 1960s, China captured 150,000 to 160,000 pangolins annually. Due to the combined pressures from long-term illegal hunting, wildlife trafficking and deforestation, the population of Chinese pangolins has rapidly declined.
According to a survey by the former State Forestry Administration, around 64,000 Chinese pangolins existed in the wild around 1998, whereas data from 2008 indicated a population range of approximately 25,000 to 50,000 individuals.
Over the past few decades, the population and habitats of Chinese pangolins have rapidly diminished, making it challenging to observe wild populations even in their original habitats. Records of the animal in Shenzhen have been scarce, especially since the beginning of the 21st century when urbanization accelerated, causing pangolins to virtually disappear.
A masked palm civet is recorded by an infrared camera on Wutong Mountain. Provided to China Daily
Comprehensive surveys
The distribution of Chinese pangolins in Shenzhen remained relatively unclear until December 2019 when the first images of a Chinese pangolin were captured in Dapeng New District, sparking targeted research on the animal in the area.
Subsequently, sightings have been recorded in areas such as Pingshan, Yantian and Longgang in Shenzhen. However, the latest documented sighting in Luohu before the recent finding dates back to the 1980s.
Since 2022, the Shenzhen Ecology and Environment Bureau has coordinated biodiversity surveys and assessments in all districts of the city. Huang joined the surveys in Luohu last year.
Following a plan to conduct surveys in key areas annually and citywide every five years, Huang said, the Luohu bureau has utilized the Geological Information System to divide the survey area into 1 square kilometer grids, trying to figure out the distribution of rare and endangered species, key protected species and region-specific species.
"Our aim is to gradually uncover the biodiversity 'inventory' of the district through comprehensive grid-based surveys," Huang said.
Wen Chujun, one of a dozen members of the team, said that the survey in Luohu mainly focused on the Wutong Mountain National Scenic Area, Yinhushan Country Park and Honghu Park. Wutong Mountain, with its diverse habitats, is a key area for the survey.
In the survey last year, the team, using infrared-triggered cameras, recorded traces at several locations of the nationally protected species small Indian civet and leopard cat, with other mammals such as the masked palm civet, Chinese ferret-badger and wild boar frequently appearing in footage.
A silver pheasant is recorded by an infrared camera in Luohu. Provided to China Daily
Encouraging sign
In the survey this year, the Luohu bureau added 11 more infrared-triggered cameras in the hopes of capturing more data on wildlife.
Every two to three months, team members check the status of the cameras and extract data.
"Because of too many rains this summer, we delayed our fieldwork to collect the data from the infrared cameras until September," Wen said.
The footage of the Chinese pangolin was taken on May 21, showing a robust pangolin exploring its surroundings with agility.
May is the breeding season for Chinese pangolins, Wen said. "So we speculated that the animal may have been searching for a mate," she said. Although the footage is only 4 seconds, Huang said, it is incredibly encouraging.
"The discovery provides important clues for us to further study the population status and habitat preferences of Chinese pangolins in Luohu district," he said. "In a megacity like Shenzhen, with a population of tens of millions, especially in a scenic area heavily frequented by visitors, discovering a wild Chinese pangolin truly showcases the remarkable resilience of nature."
