Over a decade ago, researcher Liu Shaochuang from the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was deeply captivated by this mysterious and mesmerizing scene deep within the heart of the Lop Nur Desert while participating in field trials for the "Yutu" lunar rover. Little did Liu Shaochuang know then that his destiny would be closely intertwined with this desert expanse, and his name would be closely linked with the cause of wild camel conservation.
Even more unforeseen was his achievement in his retirement years, winning the Rolex Awards for Enterprise with his project "Utilizing Innovative Technology to Save Endangered Wild Camels," becoming the first Chinese scientist to receive such an honor.
Reflecting on his connection with the wild camels, Liu Shaochuang recently sat down for an interview with the China Science Daily.
Liu Shaochuang. All images in this article are provided by the interviewee.
Love at First Sight with Wild Bactrian Camels
The wild Bactrian camel, scientifically known as Camelus ferus, is one of the large mammals inhabiting the heart of Asia, now found only in an area of two hundred thousand square kilometers in northwestern China and southwestern Mongolia. Unlike their domestic counterparts, wild Bactrian camels have a genetic difference of 2% to 3%, which classifies them as a separate species.
Growing up in the depths of the desert, wild Bactrian camels possess a unique temperament of calmness, composure, and resilience. They are not just wanderers in the vast desert but also warriors in extreme environments. However, these resilient creatures are facing the risk of extinction due to habitat destruction, wolf attacks, illegal crossings, and unauthorized mining disturbances. According to Liu Shaochuang, the current population of wild Bactrian camels is less than 1000, even rarer than giant pandas.
Why the need to protect wild Bactrian camels? Liu Shaochuang says it all began with his first encounter with them.
In October 2011, Liu Shaochuang saw wild Bactrian camels for the first time in the Annanba Nature Reserve. "I was thrilled to learn that those magnificent creatures were indeed wild Bactrian camels, not camels artificially bred by humans. It was exhilarating to realize that wild Bactrian camels were real, not just a legend." He still vaguely remembers the weather that day, although it was already late autumn, "the daytime wasn't particularly cold."
The majestic wild Bactrian camel.
"Many of us made the same mistake, thinking that domesticated camels turned wild once they entered the wilderness," he chuckled. "So, I had to start learning from scratch too." Liu Shaochuang was quickly drawn to this species, and upon learning of the wild Bactrian camel's endangered status, he decided to lend a helping hand.
Little did he know, protecting them wasn't as easy as it seemed: wild Bactrian camels have vast ranges and are naturally wary, often roaming the desolate deserts and steppes. Little is known about their accurate numbers, migration routes, and habits.
The habitat of the wild Bactrian camel spans 200,000 square kilometers. This poses significant challenges for tracking them. At that time, tracking relied entirely on human observation, with clues limited to tracks, traces, and droppings.
But Liu Shaochuang was an adventurous scientist. Over twenty years ago, he participated in polar expeditions, reaching the North Pole twice. Later, his research on determining the sources and lengths of major rivers took him around the world, including multiple expeditions to the Sanjiangyuan region, the Kunlun Mountains, and the Altun Mountains.
The difficulties in protecting the wild Bactrian camel only fueled his determination.
Tracking days
With a background in photogrammetry and remote sensing, Liu Shaochuang and his team were developing navigation and mapping systems for the "Zhurong" Mars rover and the "Yutu" lunar rover. He immediately thought, why not use this navigation technology for wild Bactrian camels and equip them with trackers?
Although lacking funding and projects at the time, he was determined to make it happen. In May 2012, with the assistance of the local wildlife management bureau, Liu Shaochuang installed the first tracker for wild Bactrian camels in China.
"Wild Bactrian camels probably don't like wearing trackers, but it doesn't affect their lives much," Liu Shaochuang said. The trackers weigh less than 1 kilogram and have a battery life of 3 years before automatically detaching.
This was a common method in zoological observation, but it was the first time it was used on such a nomadic species like the wild Bactrian camel. Equipping them with trackers enables better data collection to understand their habits and patterns. Additionally, the data collected by the trackers, combined with other remote sensing information, helps study the quality of their habitat, such as vegetation coverage, water distribution, and the impact of human activities.
So far, Liu Shaochuang and his team have installed trackers on 26 different herds of wild Bactrian camels in the depths of the desert. They have used the tracking data to establish habitat suitability models covering the distribution areas of wild Bactrian camels in China and Mongolia. Through these models, Liu Shaochuang and his team have gradually improved their research methods.
Tracking wild Bactrian camels has its ups and downs. But what he least wants to face is the decrease in their numbers.
"The first wild Bactrian camel I tracked was killed by wolves," Liu Shaochuang shook his head regretfully. "I noticed that the tracking data wasn't updating, and upon investigation, I found out it had been killed by wolves."
"This is what we can see; there might be many more losses that we haven't observed," Liu Shaochuang told the China Science Daily. In his view, the immediate priorities for protecting wild Bactrian camels are two-fold: restricting human activities (such as illegal crossings and mining) and controlling the wolf population.
Liu Shaochuang (left) and his team observing wild camel footprints.
To accomplish these two tasks, the fundamental preparation is still to conduct effective tracking. Through tracking data, people can gradually understand their migration routes, living environments, and potential threats. With this information in hand, more detailed plans can be formulated, such as where to build water source protection areas and how to improve conservation measures.
"Putting in great efforts to protect them is worthwhile."
Through continuous observation and monitoring, Liu Shaochuang and his team have noticed some unusual changes.
They have observed that while wild camels have indeed vast ranges of activity, with some groups covering dozens or even hundreds of kilometers per day, they now find that, with the intensification of climate change and human activities, the activity areas of wild camels are shrinking. There are signs that wild camels within China and Mongolia are moving towards higher altitude areas in the Altai Mountains and colder high-latitude regions.
"This indicates they may face more dangers," says Liu Shaochuang, expressing concern about the current survival status of wild camels. "Without immediate and effective protection measures, this group of spirits may face extinction within 30 to 50 years."
China has established the Xinjiang Lop Nur Wild Camel National Nature Reserve and the Gansu Annanba Wild Camel National Nature Reserve for the protection of wild camels. The establishment of these reserves provides safe habitats for wild camels, reducing human activities' interference with their living environment.
Building on this foundation, Liu Shaochuang proposes to expand the area of wild camel reserves in Xinjiang, Gansu, and other areas to further establish national parks with broader scope and stronger protection efforts for wild camels.
At the same time, Liu Shaochuang has noticed that many barbed wire fences have been erected along the China-Mongolia border, cutting off the free migration routes of wild camels between China and Mongolia. He calls for strengthened intergovernmental cooperation between China and Mongolia to establish a cross-border natural reserve, providing more living space for wild camel populations and other wildlife.
In Liu Shaochuang's view, delving into the desert may not be a big deal, but protecting wild camels is ultimately a "money-burning" endeavor—requiring investment in tracking devices, data transmission, communication analysis, as well as expenses for vehicles, guides, anesthetists, and anesthesia drugs needed to locate wild camels. Research funding and project support in this regard often lag behind their tracking progress, necessitating self-financing in the long run.
Fortunately, the Rolex Awards for Enterprise provides winners with 200,000 Swiss francs (approximately 1.64 million RMB) in scientific research funding support. With this money, Liu Shaochuang finds some relief, stating, "This money is enough to get 40 satellite trackers."
Although funding is often tight, he believes that putting in great efforts to protect wild camels is worthwhile.
Firstly, as flagship species of desert areas, protecting wild camels means protecting the entire ecosystem. Secondly, wild camels still hold many mysteries, such as living in former atomic test sites without developing cancer; they drink high-concentration saltwater—out of necessity, as they prefer freshwater—yet suffer little from cardiovascular and hypertension diseases.
He tells reporters that wild camels have a strong adaptability to harsh natural environments. Relevant studies have found that their unique physiological mechanisms may provide insights for human treatment of tumors, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, how wild camels excrete salt from saline water within their bodies is also a subject worthy of study.
"We still know very little about wild camels. I believe that through in-depth research, many beneficial discoveries for humanity will be explored," says Liu Shaochuang.
