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Close to the lions
2019-02-25 
Two lions sit in the bushes at the Ol Kinyei Conservancy in Maasai Mara National Reserve of Kenya, where Chinese wildlife conservationist Zhuo Qiang (in the car) has lived and worked since 2011. [Photo provided to China Daily]

A Chongqing man's wildlife conservation efforts in Kenya are gaining media attention, Cheng Yuezhu reports. 

During his childhood, Zhuo Qiang often dreamed that he would transform into a lion and run freely across a vast expanse of green.

Zhuo, now 46, has lived and worked for almost a decade among the lions of Africa as a Chinese wildlife conservationist. He is locally known as Simba, meaning "lion" in Swahili.

Before going to Africa, he first learned English and French-both commonly used languages on the continent-at Sichuan University in China and then worked in foreign affairs as a civil servant in the city of Chongqing for over 10 years. And when he had the chance to set foot on Africa in 2004, Zhuo felt he might be able to finally answer his true calling.

"Africa looked exactly the same as in my childhood dreams. I felt the ultimate freedom that the Earth is round and expansive, that everything is happy and free," he says.

"When I first saw the lions in the wild and learned that they were becoming extinct, I made up my mind to protect them."

However, deciding in his 30s to leave everything behind in China and go to Africa for wildlife work didn't seem an easy task, even to him, at first. It took him six years of deliberation before he submitted his resignation and settled in the Ol Kinyei Conservancy in Maasai Mara National Reserve of Kenya in 2011.

Zhuo's daughter Zhuoyang Linger (right) talks with a local woman. She has been helping Zhuo with his NGO work by spending her summer holidays in Kenya since the age of 12. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Even with few contacts and limited resources in Zhuo's early days in Africa, he started to roam the savannas. Pitching tents along the way, he fumbled about in understanding the nature of lions and their relationship with the locals. Sleeping in the wilderness, he says he never worried about his safety, because lions are exceptionally intelligent animals, which normally would not attack humans.

As human activity anywhere presents a challenge for wildlife, in Africa too, lions have found their living spaces disturbed and sometimes have to prey on livestock, hence causing financial loss to the locals. Observing such a predicament, Zhuo devised a set of sustainable wildlife conservation measures that was based on local welfare.

Apart from cooperating with governments and organizations in raising funds and combating poaching, he seeks to rent pasture from the residents to be included in the reserve, providing a bigger living space to wild animals and a higher income for the locals as they can collect rent and work as guides in the reserve.

"The only way for us to achieve the success of wildlife conservation is to help the community first," Zhuo says.

"What I am most proud of is that the locals now consider wildlife conservation their own responsibility, because helping the animals is also helping themselves."

Established in 2011, the Mara Conservation Fund is the first NGO by a person from China in Africa, according to Zhuo. Thanks to the organization's efforts, the size of Ol Kinyei Conservancy has expanded from 3,300 hectares from 2011 to 7,300 hectares at present, and the number of lions in the reserve has grown from 15 to 30.

Zhuo (second from left) becomes the first Chinese to join the Maasai tribe in 2015 for his contribution to local welfare and "peacemaking" between humans and lions. [Photo provided to China Daily]

News of his work is spreading due to growing media coverage and the 2017 History Channel documentary about him, Lion Heart.

Huang Hongxiang, wildlife conservationist against the ivory trade, says: "I think Simba (Zhuo) inspired a lot of people, including myself."

Zhuo's efforts motivated Huang to establish China House, a company that aims to boost communication between China and Africa.

In 2015, Zhuo was the first Chinese to become a member of the Maasai tribe for his contribution to local welfare and "peacemaking" between humans and lions.

"There is in fact a lot in common between human beings and lions," he says. "Just like lions, the tribe members are brave, loving and kind, and like humans, lions are social animals."

A pride of lions rules a piece of land before they grow old and a new generation takes over. Likewise, a new generation of wildlife conservationists has emerged.

[Photo provided to China Daily]

Zhuo's daughter Zhuoyang Linger, known as "little Simba", is now contributing to the cause. At 15 years old, the middle school student, who lives in Chongqing with her mother, first visited Africa at age 4. Since 2016, she has helped Zhuo with his NGO work by spending her summer holidays in Kenya. During her stay, she accompanies him on morning patrols against illegal grazing, poaching or to find injured animals. She also takes notes, photos and translates for Chinese visitors at the reserve.

"I am so proud that I can be my father's assistant and introduce our work to others. I hope to make an effort to help the wild animals survive and prevent them from extinction," Zhuoyang says.

To raise public awareness, she exhibits wildlife photos she has taken and gives speeches.

While more Chinese are engaging in wildlife conservation in Africa, according to a report released by China House in 2018, it is a cause that does not require going to Africa in person. Conservation can begin at home.

"Everyone can contribute to wildlife conservation and the ecosystem. Save some water when taking a shower, be kind to animals, stop buying wild animal products," Zhuo says. "You could in the end influence more people around you."

Contact the writer at chengyuezhu@chinadaily.com.cn

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