I am just back in Beijing after spending a few days in Nangqian on the Tibetan Plateau with ShanShui Conservation Center. I was invited to be a judge for their annual “nature watch” festival, during which teams of young people from across China converge on a remote village of the Plateau and spend three days photographing as many mammals, birds, reptiles and plants as possible. Each team partners with a local family who act as guides. The idea is to provide a snapshot of the biodiversity in these rarely, if ever, surveyed areas. And of course, at the same time to celebrate the incredible wildlife and to have fun!
The participants at the 2024 Nature Watch Festival in Nangqian, Qinghai Province.
Some of the teams enjoying breakfast at the festival HQ.
Overall, 1,310 images of 396 species were submitted by the teams, including 13 species of mammals, 81 species of birds, 3 species of reptile and amphibian, and 299 species of plants.
This Saussurea sp. was thriving at 4,600m asl. Known locally as “雪兔子”, the literal translation of which is “snow rabbit”.
Giant Laughingthrush (Ianthocincla maxima) 大噪鹛 Dà zào méi was a common bird around the camp. This image was taken with a 100mm lens and is uncropped.
One of the personal highlights for me was to spend a day with Dr Shi Jingsong, a renowned Chinese herpetologist. In 2017 he discovered a new species of pit-viper on the Tibetan Plateau (Gloydius rubromaculatus). Incredibly, it has been found to feed almost exclusively on moths! During this trip, after a tip-off from local people about a place where they had seen snakes, we visited the site at 3,800m above sea level, well away from the previously known range, and found a beautiful female of this new species. It’s a reminder that there is still so much to discover, especially in remote and infrequently accessed places such as many parts of the Tibetan Plateau.
Gloydius rubromaculatus 红斑高山蝮 Hóngbān gāoshān fù, Nangqian, 23 August 2024 (Terry Townshend)
Several high-altitude butterflies were seen, including this Apollo sp., tentatively identified as Parnassius acdestis, a poorly known species known mostly from India, with a few records in western China.
Possible Parnassius acdestis, Nangqian, 23 August 2024
Another surprise was finding two dragonfly species, including a Neallogaster sp. (possibly N. lunifera) along a fast-flowing stream at 3,900m asl and a small colony of Black Darter (Sympetrum danae) even higher at 4,100m asl.
Neallogaster sp., Nangqian, 24 August 2024
Black Darter (Sympetrum danae), male, Nangian, 24 August 2024 at an elevation of 4,100m asl.
Black Darter (Sympetrum danae), female, Nangian, 24 August 2024 at an elevation of 4,100m asl.
The terrain of the “playing area” included a mixture of spruce forest, scrub and open grassland.
Spending time on the Plateau is invigorating. It’s a harsh environment but there is an abundance of life, with some very special species, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth. And many areas are pristine.
Big thanks to the brilliant team from ShanShui Conservation Center, the local people whose hospitality was exceptional, to Dr Shi, and to the wonderful teams from all across China who made it such an unforgettable few days.
Title image: A Blue Sheep or Bharal (Pseudois nayaur) with the Ga’er Temple in the background (Photo by Cecilia Chen)