Encounter plateau elves! Open the Ecological Scroll of Sanjiangyuan National Park | Reporter | National

Zhonggong Network reporter Zhu Jieying and Zhao Chongfu

On August 22nd, in Huanghe Township, Maduo County, Qinghai Province, the afterglow of the sunset spread across the plateau grasslands. Along the rugged rural roads, three Tibetan antelopes lowered their heads and slowly nibbled on the grass. Two Tibetan wild foxes strolled leisurely not far away, and an ecological painting slowly unfolded in the Three Rivers Source National Park.

On the evening of August 22nd, Tibetan antelopes and Tibetan wild donkeys strolled on the grasslands of Huanghe Township. Photo by Zhao Chongfu, a journalist from Zhonggong Network

The sunset is about to sink into the distant mountains, and in the final dusk, the reporter and his team hurriedly took photos in the wilderness. The plateau is cold and quiet, and the crisp chirping of birds occasionally streaks through the quiet wilderness. Walking on the grassland, a reporter from Zhonggong Net found that under the lush vegetation, some places had been dug into small caves. Following the direction pointed by the reporter, the ecological administrator of Huanghe Township, Jia Yang Duojie, explained that these are old caves abandoned by rodents and rabbits. "This hole is newly drilled." Jiayang Duojie pointed to another small cave, where there were many rat and rabbit footprints on the thick loose soil at the entrance.

According to his introduction, in the management of the Black Soil Beach in Sanjiangyuan National Park, in order to prevent excessive breeding of rodents and rabbits from damaging vegetation, bird nests will be built in areas where rodents and rabbits are concentrated, attracting their natural enemy - the buzzard - to come and settle down, and using the principle of balance in the food chain to suppress the harm of rodents and rabbits.

The picture shows the sunset in Huanghe Township. Photo by Zhu Jieying, a journalist from Zhonggong Network

The dusk gradually darkens, and the lakes in the wetland are as bright as a mirror, like stars falling into the human world. At the edge of "Guanghu", clusters of shadows are distributed in a regular pattern, which are birds resting and resting. Yellow River Township is located in the Yellow River Source Park of Sanjiangyuan National Park, where marshes and wetlands are distributed, and many birds breed and thrive here. Earlier that day, the reporter and his team drove from Maduo County to Huanghe Township and saw many wild birds occasionally soaring in groups on the grassland. When stopping to watch the Tibetan wild donkey, a reporter from Zhonggong Net asked about the name of the waterbird in the lake. Based on experience, Jiayang Duojie judged that there were spotted goose, red duck, and wild goose among them.

The picture shows the wetland in the Yellow River Source Park under the sunset. Photo by Zhu Jieying, a journalist from Zhonggong Network

The harmonious coexistence between humans and nature is an important theme of the Three Rivers Source National Park, which is not only reflected in the peaceful and comfortable scenes of nature, but also hidden in the narratives of frontline ecological managers and speakers——

The average altitude of Huanghe Township is around 4300 meters, with an annual heating period of 11 months, and the coldest temperature can reach minus 30 degrees Celsius. December to February of the following year is a period of frequent snow disasters. Whenever a snow disaster occurs, ecological management personnel in Huanghe Township will drive pickup trucks through thick snow to deliver food and grass to wild animals such as Tibetan donkeys. Grain and grass sprinkled on the snow beside the road, and Tibetan wild donkeys would come from afar to eat. Three or four years later, even in summer, when the Tibetan wild donkey sees that pickup truck passing by, it will automatically approach. "Tibetan wild donkeys are very smart. They can recognize that pickup truck," said Jiayang Duojie. Due to the well protected wildlife here, most of them are not afraid of people and are not in a hurry when people pass by.

Tibetan wild donkeys in the grasslands near Huanghe Township. Photo by Zhao Chongfu, a journalist from Zhonggong Network

"The first time I heard the sound of a snow leopard was completely different from what I had imagined. We thought the sound of a snow leopard should roar like a lion or other wild animal, but it was really like a cat's sound." Jing Shuyuan, editor of the Ecological Exhibition and Exhibition Center of the Sanjiangyuan National Park Management Bureau, vividly recounted her experience of encountering a snow leopard while filming snow scenes in the uninhabited area of Sanjiangyuan National Park during an interview. Later, in order to capture footage of the snow leopard, she and her colleagues waited for over two hours in a signalless unmanned area, braving heavy snow.

In the Lancang River Source Park of Sanjiangyuan National Park, the "hometown of snow leopards" in Angsai Township, farmers and herdsmen who have lived here for a long time are extremely familiar with the living habits of snow leopards, knowing when and where they will appear. Later, it developed into ecotourism, where tourists can make reservations online and stay at the homes of local farmers and herdsmen, and watch snow leopards under the guidance of farmers and herdsmen. This approach not only protects wildlife, but also allows tourists to enjoy rare wildlife and increases the income of local farmers and herdsmen.

The frontline staff of Sanjiangyuan National Park said about the harmonious coexistence between humans and nature——

Jing Shuyuan said that it's not just about closing the door and protecting the ecology. Bringing green rice bowls and eating ecological rice can not only protect the local area, but also enable farmers and herdsmen to stay steadfastly in their long-term homes, inherit culture, improve production and improve life. This is the path for future exploration.

Jiayang Duojie said that through our protection, we can achieve harmony between ecology and human beings, and the two can coexist. We need to rely on both ecology and wildlife. In daily work, such as patrolling, when encountering wildlife, we should care for them like family members.

Birds near Huanghe Township soar above the lake. Photo by Zhu Jieying, a journalist from Zhonggong Network

On the high mountain grassland, Tibetan wild donkeys are scattered not far away, bowing their heads to eat grass and feeling safe and comfortable;

In swamps and wetlands, waterfowl leisurely inhabit, occasionally forming groups and flying over the lush fields;

Under the blue sky and white clouds, eagles or vultures soar in the blue sky, majestic and calm

During the short few hours of travel from Maduo County to Huanghe Township, the reporter from Zhonggong Net vividly explained the effectiveness of ecological protection.