China

China has some of the highest biodiversity and varied landscapes in the world. Unfortunately, China is also faced with unprecedented species loss, including many species exclusive to China, resulting from over-exploitation and economic development within the last few decades. WCS began its conservation work in China in the early 1980s with Dr. George Schaller’s studies in Sichuan and Tibet on the Giant Panda and upland ungulates. Since that time, the WCS China Program has developed a systematic framework and extended Dr. Schaller’s work to a range of initiatives, ranging from key species conservation to conservation awareness and education, and landscape level planning. Now there are offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Lhasa.

The Human Aspect
China holds the largest human population in the world, with many people still at a low standard of living. With this population still growing and now expanding into what were once remote places, these factors inevitably lead to the over-use of wildlife and habitat fragmentation and loss. Given the close relationship between wildlife and human beings who share the same land, conservation will not only need strong government assistance, but it will also need the direct involvement of local communities.

Threats
Wildlife and biodiversity in China are now faced with enormous threats, mostly from human activities. In spite of the protection policies and laws currently in place, poaching and illegal use of wildlife are still common in many places. In western China for example, wild animals such as the chiru are illegally killed for their wool, meat, or products used in medicine. Many ungulates are hunted which reduces tiger food, and the tiger itself is also a target for hunting. In other part of China, reptiles, amphibians and migrant birds are slaughtered for the food markets and Traditional Chinese Medicine, and many species are becoming endangered or locally extinct. Large amounts of wetlands, rangelands, forests and other wild lands have been exploited for farming, fisheries and development, resulting in wildlife populations becoming separated, scattered, or even locally extinct.

WCS Activities
WCS China has developed a substantial, widespread and effective conservation network as well as an enthusiastic and experienced team, with initiatives extending to species and biodiversity conservation, social awareness, environmental education, wildlife trade investigations, and landscape level planning.

Wildlife Trade Program:
Wildlife trade is one of the major forces that is threatening wildlife in China and surrounding countries. WCS China has initiated a number of wildlife trade surveys over the last 10 years, focusing on seahorse, tortoise, and saiga antelope. WCS has actively promoted conservation awareness with the traditional Chinese medicine community on wildlife conservation.  WCS is also conducting a review of the Chinese legislation system for wildlife conservation and management, in particular as it relates to trade of wildlife species.

Education Program:
WCS has been holding a series of education programs to reduce the use of wildlife for both traditional medicine and food, with the target group ranging from school students to common consumers. At present, WCS is focusing attention on school and university students for wildlife protection awareness and education, and has adopted effective ways to spread the message of the need for conservation in Xinjiang, Shanghai, Sichuan and Jilin Province. The WCS education project has also established a network of over 100 Wildlife Conservation Model Schools around the country.

Species Program: WCS China is focusing on threatened landscapes and endangered species in western China, northeastern China and other key sites. Species include Chiru, Marco Polo (Argali), tiger, Chinese Alligator, Przewalski’s gazelle, Shanghai Giant Soft-shelled turtle, Yellow-headed boxturtle  and the Takin.

Chiru:
WCS began work on the Chiru in 1985, and we were the first to bring to light the slaughter of this species for the expensive shatoosh (its fine fur).  Based on WCS recommendations, the Chinese Government established the Chang Tang Nature Reserve in 1993 and over the next 20 years established a total of 8 nature reserves in Tibet, Xinjiang and Qianghai. Since 2005, WCS has carried out several surveys in Xinjiang and Qiangtang in Tibet, conducted a training program, and helped the local government establish a reserve to protect the chiru’s calving grounds in the West Kunlun Mountains and provided funds for monitoring and enforcement.
click here to learn more about our projects on the Chiru

Marco Polo (Argali):
The Marco Polo is the flagship of the Pamirs, with a range across China, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and Pakistan. WCS China has been conducting surveys, research and conservation on this species.  In 2006, together with the Wildlife Conservation Department of SFA, WCS held the “Transboundary Workshop on Pamir Wildlife Conservation” with government officials from China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan, and is working to promote transboundary cooperation on Marco Polo sheep across their entire range.

Amur Tiger:
WCS China began Amur tiger surveys and conservation efforts in 1998 in northeastern China with the cooperation of Chinese and Russian governments.  These studies have illustrated clearly the endangered status of this species, wich totals less than 20 individuals in China.  With support from WCS, the Hunchun Nature Reserve was set up in Jilin province.  WCS also established 8 monitoring stations in Heilongjiang. WCS has been the most active NGO on tiger conservation in China, carrying out field surveys, scientific studies, snare removal projects, training and education. Click here to learn more about our programs on the Amur Tiger or visit the website: www.wcstiger.cn


Przewalski’s gazelle:
Przewalksi's gazelle used to be widely distributed throughout Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Qinghai in the early 20th century.  Because of poaching and habitat loss, this species’ population has decreased dramatically to approximately 300 individuals and its distribution is now limited to a few areas around Qinghai Lake.  WCS, in cooperation with the Qinghai Forestry bureau, has initiated a recovery project for this endangered species.

Chinese Alligator:
The Chinese alligator is the most endangered of the world’s 23 crocodile species. A survey supported by WCS shows that the status of the Chinese alligator’s remnant wild population is critically threatened with only 130-150 individuals remaining.  WCS has initiated a reintroduction project for this species with the State Forestry Administration in Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai.  In 2005, WCS transported 12 US-born Chinese alligators back to China and released 3 of them together with another about 7 from Zhejiang Yinjiabian Nature Reserve to Chongming Island in Shanghai in 2007.

sShanghai Giant Soft-shelled turtle:
One of the largest freshwater turtle species, the Shanghai giant soft-shelled turtle was previously distributed in the lower reaches of Yangtze River, and Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and the Honghe River in northern Vietnam.  According to current research, this species is extinct in the wild. Only 3-4 remaining individuals are kept in captivity. WCS cooperates with the Fishery Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture, and Departments of Zoos to develop a breeding program. At the same time, WCS will look for individuals that may still remain in parts of Yunnan, Guangxi and Guangdong where the turtle was previously distributed.

Yellow-headed box turtle:
teh yellow-headed box turtle is a rare turtle endemic to Anhui Province. Due to the high price of the turtle in the pet market, illegal collecting has caused dramatic decreases both in population and range in the wild. It is estimated that the current total area of this species is less than 120 sq km. It is critically endangered and nearly extinct in the wild – some local researchers have carried out surveys of the yellow-headed box turtle in the wild and no individuals were found. However, there may be about 500 individuals in captivity. With financial support and planning from WCS, a breeding program will be established in the Anhui Chinese Alligator Breeding Center. The International Centre for the Conservation of Turtles (ICCT) will provide the turtles from private sources for the breeding program. 

Takin:
The takin, Budorcas taxicolor, is the single species in a genus of Bovidae that is distributed across high elevation regions of south-central Asia. The goal of our collaborative study is to increase our understanding of the ecology and behavior of the takin, both in-situ and ex-situ,  and use that knowledge to develop effective conservation strategies for the species.  Click here to learn more about our projects on takin.