Infrared cameras capture footage of rare animals in Shennongjia, China’s Hubei province

Photo shows two Reeves’s pheasants, a bird endemic to China, in the Xinhua forest farm of the Shennongjia forestry district, central China’s Hubei province. (Photo courtesy of the Xinhua forest farm of the Shennongjia forestry district)

Infrared cameras have recently captured footage of several rare animals in the Xinhua forest farm of the Shennongjia forestry district, a World Natural Heritage site, in central China’s Hubei province.

The rare animals, including Reeves’s pheasants, golden pheasants, crimson-bellied tragopans, serows, Asiatic black bears, and tufted deer, were found on Aug. 23 after the forest farm sorted out pictures and video clips shot on the infrared cameras.

One of the clips showed a male Reeves’s pheasant foraging in the forest while chasing a female. The Reeves’s pheasant, a bird endemic to China, was spotted for the first time in the forest farm.

Footage of more than 50 species of rare animals in the forest farm has been captured over the past years, according to Hu Quanhong, head of the forest farm.

The management bureau of the Shennongjia forestry district has installed over 200 infrared cameras in its six forest farms to monitor the activities of wild animals.

In recent years, the forestry district has enhanced efforts to protect wild animals and plants, including raising public awareness for their protection, improving the district’s monitoring system, and strengthening local law enforcement, which has significantly improved its ecological environment.