Rich wildlife inspires amateur photographer

Gu also set up a WeChat group where he shares his photographs.

His two granddaughters, one pursuing a graduate degree and the other just starting primary school, watch them every day. "When I first contracted the forestland, I hardly found wild animals," he said. "Since 2017, when the park pilot program began, squirrels, badgers, and raccoon dogs came back first, followed by sika deer, Chinese water deer, wild boars, and then tigers, leopards, black bears and brown bears."

Data from the park shows that there are 72 Siberian tigers and 115 Amur leopards living in the area, up from 27 and 42 respectively before the establishment of the park.

Their activity range spans more than 80 percent of the park and the survival rate of tiger and leopard cubs has increased from 30 percent to nearly 50 percent.

The number of Chinese mergansers reached over 600, an increase of nearly 300 compared to 2018.

"In front of my house, dozens or even hundreds of sika deer could be found gathering to forage in the morning," he said. "Nature is our common home. I would like to contribute to the conservation cause through my photography of wildlife in Hunchun."

Han Junhong contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at zhouhuiying@chinadaily.com.cn