Text: Elephant Microvision
Edited by Elephant Microvision
In the vast land of China, there are many kinds of animals.
Among them, there are six animals, all of which are called "prison floor sitting beasts", and each of them is a first-class protected animal and is listed as a national treasure.
One of the animals that had even announced that the population could no longer continue, unexpectedly ushered in a new turnaround.
What are those animals? What are the other "prison beasts"?
01
pangolin
The Chinese pangolin's survivability and attack ability are not strong, which also makes them a "soft persimmon" in the animal kingdom - they have no teeth, their hearing is not developed, and their vision is very poor.
In the wild, the way they react to danger is even more impressive.
When it senses a threat, the Chinese pangolin will not choose to run away or resist, but will quickly curl up its body to form a solid sphere, after which it will quietly wait for the danger to disappear.
While Chinese pangolins don't stand out for their attacks, they play an important role in nature – they are "cleaners" who specialize in eating pests such as termites.
Chinese pangolins are unique in that they have a long, slender and slippery tongue.
This long tongue is not only flexible and flexible, but also has a strong adhesion.
When Chinese pangolins forage for food, they delicately stick their long tongues into the termite's nest and eat them all.
Chinese pangolins have suffered a lot of mutilation, which stems from the belief that pangolins had special medicinal properties, and the fact that they were said to be delicious and nutritious.
As a result, in some areas, Chinese pangolins have become the target of hunting, and this overhunting has led to a sharp decline in the Chinese pangolin population, and their survival conditions have become more dangerous.
In 2020, the Chinese pangolin became a member of the national first-class protected animal list.
02
Fujino
Between the vast grasslands and deserts, the unique way of survival of the Przewalski's horse is amazing.
The difference between a Przewalski's horse and a domestic horse is the body shape and hair.
Although the Przewalski's horse is not as strong as the domestic horse, the longest length is only two meters, and it is different from the thick long hair of the domestic horse, the Przewalski's horse's hair is very short and thick.
Przewalski's horses have a manic temperament, sometimes comparable to that of bison – they are easily angry and can show a ferocious side when disturbed or threatened.
Despite this, Przewalski's horses prefer to live in groups.
Przewalski's horses are usually found in the vast grasslands and vast deserts of Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang.
Although the climatic conditions in these areas are variable, they are ideal places for Przewalski's horses to adapt to survival.
However, despite the fact that Przewalski's horses grow, breed and live freely in the wild, their populations are quite limited.
According to statistics, there are fewer than 1,500 Przewalski's horses worldwide, and in some areas, they are even extinct.
03
White-limbed cattle
The white-limbed bison is known for its unique appearance and fierce temper.
They are "as famous as their cows" and their limbs are white, which contrasts strongly with their thick bodies and blue-gray fur.
The white-limbed bison has a huge body, and the muscle texture is very obvious, and every muscle feels tight.
Its hard, exaggerated horns are like a pair of sharp swords, showing an unparalleled deterrent power, which makes people feel intimidated.
It's hard to ignore their unique place in the animal world.
Moreover, this hard horn makes the white-limbed bison very powerful, and once it attacks, the power cannot be underestimated.
Not only that, but the temper of the white-limbed bison is also very fierce.
They are extremely angry and aggressive when faced with threats or when they feel uneasy.
When they feel threatened, they will let out a roar to warn all living creatures around them not to approach, and they will not hesitate to attack if they continue to approach.
04
North China leopard
The North China leopard is a slender feline and leopard animal, weighing between 40 kg and 75 kg, and has a majestic and powerful body.
The North China leopard has a short round head that appears thick and powerful, and their bite is also very strong, a characteristic that makes them extremely adaptable to hunting and surviving.
This animal mainly inhabits forests, shrubs and other environments, and they are also very good at using their natural environment to hide themselves.
The North China leopard has an extremely wide range of movements, and its movements are agile and swift, showing its superb skills as a hunter.
The North China leopard is adept at approaching its prey silently, and they usually take advantage of the seclusion in the forest, stepping lightly and barely making any sound.
Once the leopard has determined the best time to attack, it will attack quickly and accurately, and the speed of the leopard can be said to be incredible, reaching the target almost instantly.
The population of the North China leopard has long been critically endangered and once on the verge of extinction due to a long period of hunting and habitat loss.
It is also classified as a first-class protected animal, and there was almost no trace of them in the wild.
In February 2023, the Xiali Forest Farm Area in Shanxi Province ushered in a familiar figure - the appearance of the North China leopard.
Their appearance aroused great excitement and attention from the relevant staff, and at that time the North China leopard could be said to have been rarely seen for a long time, and this appearance is undoubtedly surprising.
And what is even more exciting is that not one, but the mother and son North China leopard appeared together.
05
Alligator
Nowadays, in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, there is an animal called the Chinese alligator.
They are only two meters long at the longest, and they are not as large and powerful as other crocodiles.
In the past, Chinese alligators were common creatures in China's wetlands, where they roamed freely and in harmony with the surrounding ecosystem.
Today, however, there are less than 300 Chinese alligators in the wild.
Despite their fierce appearance, alligators do not normally attack humans and only become a little irritable during the breeding season, due to their protective nature.
Moreover, the attack power of the Chinese alligator is relatively weak, and their attack is more out of the need for self-defense.
Even so, if you encounter a Chinese alligator in the wild, don't approach it rashly.
These wild animals still have an instinctive wildness, and if they approach them, their curiosity may be satisfied, but it may also cost them their lives.
Therefore, keeping a distance is essential, and looking from a distance is the way to be safe.
Encounters with wildlife are truly a precious experience, but they are never worth risking your life.
06
Siberian tiger
At the end of the last century, Siberian tigers faced an unprecedented existential crisis.
Habitat loss and hunting have led to a sharp decline in the number of Siberian tigers in the wild and are on the verge of extinction.
At that time, the relevant authorities, realizing the critical situation, also ordered a ban on the hunting of Siberian tigers, but it was too late.
At that time, their roars had become less and less.
At the end of the 20th century, a historic survey shed light on the existential crisis facing Siberian tigers.
Experts from China, the United States, and Russia have joined forces to launch a large-scale survey of wild Siberian tigers in China, with the goal of investigating the true situation of the Siberian tiger population and taking steps to protect the endangered species.
However, the results of the investigation have left people deeply disappointed and saddened – after careful search and observation, experts have had to come to a heavy conclusion: the lack of fertile females has prevented the wild Siberian tiger population from being sustainable.
At a critical juncture when the Siberian tiger population was on the verge of extinction in the wild, an unexpected turning point came in 2010.
A female Siberian tiger made her way south from the Russian border to China, where she chose to make her home, and it was she who gave the mainland Siberian tiger a glimmer of hope.
The Siberian tiger, which we commonly refer to as the Siberian tiger, originally belonged to the same subspecies, but the name was different due to the different distribution areas.
Siberian tigers are mainly found in the Far East of Russia, while Siberian tigers are mainly found in northeast China.
Although they live in different regions, they are biologically classified as the same subspecies.
The female tiger was first spotted in October when she was photographed by an infrared camera, hence the name "October".
The arrival of "October" is not only the migration of a tiger, but also the continuation of animal species on the mainland.
Under the protection measures of the mainland, after arriving in China, "October" found a suitable habitat for survival, and began to search for male tigers and start a new life.
She also gave birth to four cubs after that.
It can be said that "October" single-handedly pulled the population of Siberian tigers on the mainland away from the risk of extinction.
07
epilogue
These rare species are listed as first-class protected animals by the state because of their severe living conditions, so as to ensure that their living environment is protected to the greatest extent.
The status of Class I protected animals should not be underestimated, and harm or hunting them will be subject to severe legal sanctions.
For those who dare to break the law and deliberately harm these protected species, the fate of the second half of their lives may be spent in prison.
Because if you violate the animal protection law, you may not only face heavy fines, but also be sentenced to prison time.