Yushu, Qinghai Province, is becoming 'Poetry and Distance' for wildlife photographers

"In order to track and understand the ecological activities of wild animals on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, I went to Sanjiangyuan 25 times and Hoh Xil depopulated zone 15 times..." Yushu, Qinghai province, is the place where Ge Yuxiu, a famous ecological photographer, is longing for. In his opinion, as long as he can capture vivid images of wild animals, it is worth the hardship and fatigue.

"The story of people and wildlife in Qinghai cannot be finished for days and nights. What is presented in the documentary is just a microcosm." Over the years,One of the directors of the documentary《I live at the head of the river》、famous wildlife photographer Xi Zhinong witnessed the whole process from pilot to establishment of Sanjiangyuan National Park,it also launched a growth plan for herdsmen photographers in Qinghai,lead more farmers and herdsmen to use the lens to tell the story of harmony between man and nature.

Yushu, with its unique natural scenery, is also the germplasm bank of plateau biology. Its unique resource endowment attracts more and more photographers to come to "feast their eyes". At the same time, the local photography team is also experiencing the transformation from nothing to excellent, and the story of the sources of the three rivers is constantly amplified and vivid through the lens of the photographers.

Wild yaks enjoy themselves in the Sanjiangyuan area. Photo by Liu Yunze

"Now sometimes we see snow leopards three or four times a week." Gong Gari is one of the members of the nature photography team in Sanjiangyuan National Park. He likes to record the creatures in Sanjiangyuan National Park with his camera during daily patrol of the mountain. In July last year, he spotted a snow leopard resting in Bagan Township, Qumalai County, Yushu Prefecture, and took photos of it.

A snow leopard rest in Qumalai County, Yushu Prefecture. Photograph by Gong Gari

The nature photography team is composed of farmers and herdsmen from various towns in Qumalai County. Half of the more than 80 members are ecological conservators. While shoulding the important responsibility of ecological protection, they also record the various features of Sanjiangyuan with their cameras. Wild animals such as incense weasels, white-lipped deers, Tibetan antelopes and lynx often feature in the camera crew's shots,It tells the story of the national park.

Member of the Nature photography crew. Photograph by Gong Gari

Flagship species such as snow leopard and leopard appeared in the same frame in Yushu;Wild Eurasian otters "frolicked" on the Zhaqu River in Yushu City... In recent years, Yushu frequently because of cute or feral wild animals "out of the circle", which is just a good witness to the ecological environment.

Eurasian otters appear on the Zhaqu River in Yushu, Qinghai province. Photograph by Nan Muze

As the core area of Sanjiangyuan National Park, Yushu has in recent years integrated "Establish an ecological state and green rise" into the whole process of building an ecological civilization highland. It has made new breakthroughs in the system innovation of ecological civilization construction, and was awarded as the national demonstration area of ecological civilization construction. At the same time, we will promote the development of national parks to a high standard. 《Several Measures to Build an Ecological Civilization Highland in Yushu Prefecture》were issued, and special actions such as no waste in the whole region and banning plastic and reducing waste were further promoted. The achievements of ecological civilization construction have been increasingly prominent, and harmonious coexistence between man and nature has become a beautiful reality.

Sakers by a member of the Nature Photography team in Yushu. Photograph by Nature Photography Team

The snow is singing. Photograph by Angzha

According to Lv Zhi, professor of Peking University and founder of Shanshui Nature Conservation Center, the presence of flagship species such as snow leopard and leopard in Yushu area is a sign of regional ecological health and integrity, which has important research and protection value. Yushu is located in the core hinterland of Sanjiangyuan National Park, which is one of the regions with the most concentrated distribution of wild animals. As a high-altitude animal and plant resource pool in the world, its integrity and authenticity are unmatched in other regions, and the visibility and richness of wild animals are rare in China.

It is reported that the number of black-necked cranes and bar-headed geese in Longbao National Nature Reserve in Yushu Prefecture has increased to more than 200 and more than 10,000. The number of Tibetan antelopes in Hoh Xil increased to over 70,000, the number of wild yaks to over 5,000, and the number of Tibetan wild donkeys to 8,000. The number of snow leopards in Yushu has increased to about 1,000.

A lynx taken by a member of the Nature Photography team in Yushu. Photograph by Nature Photography Team

Recently, Qinghai Provincial Federation of Literature and Art signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Yushu Prefecture, aiming at vigorously promoting the high-quality development of culture, literature and tourism in Yushu, and injecting new vitality into Yushu's "Establish a good three images, create a good six areas". Both parties agreed to plan and hold China Sanjiangyuan International Wildlife Photography series activities by relying on the unique resource advantages of Sanjiangyuan National Park and with the help of professional forces in the industry such as China Federation of Literature and Arts, Qinghai Federation of Literature and Arts and China Photographers Association, so as to enrich the new form of ecological photography tourism. Yushu is taking practical actions to create "Poetry and Distance" for wildlife photography lovers.