Beijing, July 25 (Financial Media Reporter Wang Yi and Tang Yunfu) Today, the international environmental protection agency WildAid and the China Wildlife Conservation Association jointly held the premiere of the pangolin conservation documentary series "The Protector" in Beijing. WildAid Charity Ambassador Wang Yibo appeared on the scene as a ranger in the documentary to share what he saw and heard during the "Rescue" trip.
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As the main character in "The Protector", WildAid Charity Ambassador Wang Yibo shared his unforgettable experiences and feelings during the filming of the documentary at the premiere. "Pangolins are a national first-class protected wild animal and are critically endangered, and I hope to learn about them and protect them through this project," he said. ”
When Wang Yibo recounted his unforgettable experience of rescuing an injured pangolin, he said that he once treated a small pangolin stuck in a stone during a rescue operation, and when he helped it treat its wounds, he needed to hold the little pangolin in his arms, he said: "I think it's cute when I hold the little pangolin." It has a lot of strength, and will subconsciously protect itself, curled up together, and its belly inside is fluffy, which is very cute. ”
At the premiere, Wang Yibo and a number of pangolin conservationists also received the "Pangolin Protector" medal issued by the organizers, calling on the whole society to pay attention to and participate in pangolin conservation, and jointly light up hope for the recovery of the Chinese pangolin population.
The Chinese pangolin is one of the few wild animals named "China", which was once widely distributed in the south of the Yangtze River in mainland China. Populations have declined by 80% in 20 years due to habitat destruction and overexploitation, and in 2014 they were listed as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. In recent years, the road to recovery for the Chinese pangolin is being lit up by top-down conservation efforts. In August 2018, the mainland completely stopped the commercial import of pangolins and their products, and stepped up the crackdown on crimes such as destroying pangolins and other wildlife resources through special operations and other measures. In June 2020, pangolins were adjusted from national second-class protected wild animals to national first-class protected wild animals; In the same year, the Pangolin Conservation Research Center of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration was established in Guangdong to further strengthen the research on pangolin rescue, breeding and rewilding. Historically, pangolins have been surveyed and monitored in the wild. At the same time, many social forces have joined the ranks of pangolin protection: in 2018, China's first wild image of a Chinese pangolin was photographed in the Wuyuzhang area of Huidong County, Guangdong; In 2020, the first special patrol team for the protection of Chinese pangolins in China was established; Many social organizations have actively carried out public education efforts to call on the public to refuse and report illegal activities that damage pangolins and their species.
The Protector is a comprehensive and truthful account of the problems faced by pangolins and the rescue efforts of the Chinese government and civil society. The documentary is based on a wild trip by WildAid ambassador and young actor Wang Yibo to find the Chinese pangolin, and shows the efforts, challenges and achievements of these ordinary heroes in their efforts to save the Chinese pangolin through the real stories of scientists, forest rangers, community residents, conservation agencies and science educators he met during the journey. WildAid and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, the producers of "The Ranger", hope to raise the public's awareness and understanding of pangolin conservation through this documentary, and see the hope and future of Chinese pangolins, so as to pay more attention to and care for pangolins.
It is reported that "The Protector" is divided into the first episode "Piercing the Mountains for Love" and the second episode "Lighting Up Hope", which respectively show the true stories of pangolin conservation workers with the themes of "Searching" and "Guarding". "Protector" will be launched on Youku Documentary Channel on July 29 and August 5, 2024.