Across China: Amateur photographer clicking wild giant pandas

2021-02-26 13:36:13 GMT2021-02-26 21:36:13(Beijing Time) Xinhua English

CHENGDU, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- For visitors to Tangjiahe Nature Reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Ma Wenhu is the go-to person if they want to improve their chances of spotting wild giant pandas.

Ma, 52, has been working in the reserve for 29 years as a forest ranger, performing a wide range of tasks such as patrolling the forest, helping with fire prevention, and collecting animal samples. He can identify more than 300 bird species and over 90 beasts.

However, he is better known among the locals as the amateur photographer who has captured images of wild giant pandas seven times.

The number of wild giant pandas in China has increased from 1,114 in the 1980s to 1,864, according to a survey on the panda population.

The Tangjiahe reserve, which is now a part of the Giant Panda National Park, was home to 39 wild giant pandas, according to a 2014 survey. But, today the number could be more than 50, said Chen Limin, head of the Tangjiahe section of the national park.

Ma's first encounter with a wild giant panda was in July 2007, when he and his colleagues were watching wildebeests on a hillside in the reserve.

A round-shaped, black-and-white animal suddenly came into the view of his telescope. Ma looked intently and immediately identified it as a giant panda.

"After waiting for 14 years, I finally saw a wild panda with my own eyes for the first time in Tangjiahe," he said with exuberance. Recalling the moment, Ma said he was so excited that he almost dropped his camera.

Ma ran to an elevated place to choose the vantage shooting point at some distance from the panda, before heading toward the target location.

"Shoving the bamboo branches that came on my way with my hands, I trekked for two hours before reaching the spot," Ma said.

Luckily, the panda fell asleep in the tree. He quickly grabbed the camera and took few snaps of the sleeping panda.

He spotted a wild panda for the third time in 2014 when he and his colleagues were monitoring the activities of wild pandas at an altitude of 1,955 meters. After noticing that an impala had suddenly started running and barking, Ma knew there were other animals around.

When he turned around, he saw a panda waddling out of the forest. Ma immediately hid behind a stone, put the lens on and pointed his camera at the panda.

Undisturbed, the panda was looking into the distance, with sunlight all over its body.

"It is the most beautiful picture of all my panda shots," Ma said.

Apart from giant pandas, Ma has photographed many other state-protected wild animals, such as otters, yellow-footed fishing owls and gray-crowned crows.

"Just because I get to click these rare shots doesn't mean I have mastered a better technique or have better equipment than other photographers," Ma said. "It depends on who is more diligent, who is closer to the animals and who has better lighting."

He aspires to convey more stories of life by helping young people learn more about wildlife. "I want to pass down the love for nature to the younger lot." Enditem

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