IMAGES of dozens of protected wild animals have been clearly captured by cameras in Longgang District, according to a biodiversity survey conducted by the district’s environmental authority over the past two years, Shenzhen Evening News reported yesterday.

These animals include national first-class protected animals, like the small Indian civet and Chinese pangolin, as well as other protected animals such as the leopard cat, silver pheasant, collared scops owl, Pallas’s squirrel, Malayan porcupine, Chinese ferret-badger, greater coucal, bay woodpecker, and yellow-breasted magpie.

According to the authority, these images provide convincing evidence for understanding the current situation of wildlife survival in the district and evaluating the effectiveness of conservation efforts.

Images of the small Indian civet, for example, have been captured on camera in two areas of Longgang. The small carnivorous animal is generally solitary and nocturnal. It was classified as a first-class protected animal in China in 2021.

The Chinese pangolin, a scale-covered mammal skilled in digging and climbing, is one of the oldest surviving species on Earth. Chinese pangolins have been detected by infrared cameras in Longgang for two consecutive years, and there is speculation that they may be remnants of local wild populations.

Leopard cats have been observed in key ecological zones across Longgang, suggesting the establishment of stable populations.

Among the mammals monitored last year, the relative abundance of leopard cats is second only to wild boars. The leopard cat is one of the most common protected animals in Shenzhen.

The silver pheasant, which is known as the “fairy in the forest” and is the provincial bird of Guangdong Province, has also repeatedly made stunning appearances in surveillance cameras.

Wild boars and Pallas’s squirrels are also common among monitored animal species in Longgang.

(Zhang Yu)