How can The diversity of Asian and European amphibians and reptiles be protected? Experts and scholars have something to say

Sichuan online reporter Wen Lumin Photo/Zhang Yijia

On November 3, the opening ceremony of the International Academic Conference on The Diversity and Protection of Amphibians and Reptiles in Asia and Europe and the 2021 Academic Conference of the Amphibian and Reptile Branch of the Zoological Society of China was held in Chengdu. Why should we care about the safety of amphibians and reptiles? How can they be better protected? At the opening ceremony, experts and scholars expressed their views.

Why care?

Amphibian and reptile diversity is part of biodiversity

Wei Fuwen, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and researcher of the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that amphibian and reptile diversity is an important part of biodiversity, and while paying attention to biodiversity, it is necessary to pay attention to its living conditions, conservation needs and effectiveness. In China, amphibians and reptiles are rich in diversity, with more than 1,100 known species, and a large number of new species are constantly being discovered. According to statistics, 78 species will be added in 2020 alone, and the academic community still needs continuous and in-depth investigation and research on the understanding of amphibian and reptile diversity.

According to the latest assessment, the degree of threat of amphibians and reptiles in China is significantly higher than that of other vertebrate groups, and it is necessary to increase the investigation and protection efforts. Yin Feng, chief engineer of the China Wildlife Conservation Association, mentioned that in China, amphibians and reptiles are facing habitat degradation and loss, overuse, environmental pollution and climate change, and eating and raising amphibians and reptiles has also been popular for a time, making their proportion of threats much higher than the world average.

At the same time, for amphibian and reptile research, China has considerable resources and advantages. Our country has a long history of amphibian and reptile research, and has a vibrant and multi-academic community of amphibian and reptile research groups, and researchers across the country have established close, long-term partnerships in different fields and fruitful cooperation. Tang Yezhong, secretary general of the Asian Amphibian and Reptile Society, disclosed on the spot that the society's official journal, Asian Amphibian and Reptile Research, published 318 articles last year, and the impact factor ranked fourth among all amphibian and reptile journals.

How is it protected?

Attach importance to popular science and academic research

At present, the protection of some key species in China has also made good progress, such as amphibians such as the Chinese giant salamander and the giant salamander, the Yangtze crocodile, the flat-breasted turtle and so on. So, how to continue to protect amphibians and reptiles and maintain regional ecological security?

Yin Feng mentioned successful cases abroad, such as the Thai Star Crocodile, the American Florida Crocodile, and the Australian Saltwater Crocodile, all of which have safeguarded the right of community residents to sustainable use of amphibians and reptiles. He believes that it is necessary to use the strength of experts to carry out scientific research and public education of amphibians and reptiles, such as the revision of the relevant content of baidu encyclopedia and two reptiles, the verification of the information on the two reptiles of the WeChat Mini Program of the National Key Wildlife Protection List that will be launched, and the filming of the two reptile documentaries. Through the participation of experts, promote the public to recognize and understand the diversity of amphibian and reptile species in China, only understanding can understand, only understanding can care, only care can act.

The Vice-President of the Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Sajdov Abdul Sattar, used his own experience to present himself. Tajikistan, located in southeastern Central Asia, is also facing a loss of reptile habitat due to topographical constraints, with 33 species of reptiles already endangered and in dire need of protection. Through the continuous efforts of many scholars and transnational cooperation, a lot of data and progress have been made. This shows that the work of academia is particularly important. Wu Ning, director of the Chengdu Institute of Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, mentioned that the academic community should cooperate with policy makers and the public to provide suggestions and suggestions for the green development of Eurasian countries, especially countries and regions along the "Belt and Road", provide theoretical support, and then explore the direction and strategy of follow-up joint cooperation.