Green Development in Inner Mongolia

Wild animals come back due to Inner Mongolia's green efforts

2021-08-19 (chinadaily.com.cn)

Due to the improvement of the environment and strengthening of protection measures, many wild animals have returned to the Urad Grassland to multiply and grow freely.

The Urad Grassland is located in Bayannuur city in North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, bordering Mongolia to the north and covering an area of more than 76 million mu (5.07 million hectares). 

It spreads throughout Urad Middle Banner, Urad Front Banner, and Urad Rear Banner, and is one of nine concentrated natural grasslands in Inner Mongolia.

Recently at the Urad Rear Banner Nature Reserve, staff used an infrared camera placed in the wild to not only take pictures of an adult wolf and four little wolves, but also a lynx and herds of ibexes. 

This is the first time that a local infrared camera has captured wild animals under second-class State protection in China. 

According to the director of the management station of the Urad Rear Banner Nature Reserve, the natural enemies of the ibex are mainly lynx, wolves, and snow leopards. 

Wolves, lynx, and herds of ibex were all filmed in the same area, reflecting the gradual formation of a food chain in the Urad Rear Banner Nature Reserve, which will be beneficial to the restoration of local grassland biodiversity.

According to preliminary statistics, there are six groups of ibexes in the Urad Rear Banner Nature Reserve, and the total number is conservatively estimated to be 100 to 200. The largest group has 29 ibexes. 

Prior to this, a large number of Mongolian wild asses and other wild animals foraging in the nature reserve were also found.

In recent years, Inner Mongolia has done much work accelerating grassland restoration efforts, according to Yan Jun, director of the Bayannuur forestry and grassland administration.

Staff at local nature reserves have strengthened the observation and recording of all kinds of wild animals, intensified inspections and patrols, worked to reduce human interference with wild animal activities, and strictly prohibited illegal hunting.