Learning to coexist with wildlife crucial

Since early April, multiple incidents of wild monkeys attacking people in a village in Wanning, Hainan province, have been reported. At least nine people including children have suffered injuries.

With increasing efforts at ecological protection, more wild animal habitats are being restored and there is greater overlapping of wildlife and human habitats, leading to increasingly evident conflicts.

Local governmental agencies responsible for wildlife protection can, by establishing an effective warning system through monitoring and data analysis, protect local residents from wild animals. For example, by installing cameras and sensors to monitor wildlife activities in real-time, residents can be promptly notified via mobile applications or broadcast systems if any dangerous wildlife behavior is detected, while regularly releasing official reports on wildlife activities can alert residents to remain safe.

The bear management plan in Yellowstone National Park in the United States has effectively reduced bear attacks by restricting the distance between tourists and bears, providing food storage containers, and conducting bear safety education for tourists.

By raising public awareness, strengthening legal protection, and scientifically managing areas where wildlife and human activities overlap, it is possible to achieve coexistence between wildlife conservation and human safety.

It's also necessary to recognize that wildlife conservation and human safety are not mutually exclusive, nor is it a simple dichotomy of "human lives matter more" versus "wildlife conservation matters more".

BEIJING NEWS