Protecting nature through photography

Training, livestreaming

Over the years, his relentless efforts in motivating and influencing more people to join the cause of environmental conservation have remained unwavering.

In December 2004, Xi initiated the China Wildlife Photography Training Camp project, specifically designed for nature reserve rangers and researchers.

Over the course of 20 years, this annual training initiative has successfully trained nearly 800 participants. A few of them have evolved into key figures within China's wildlife photography realm and some have grown to become managers within various nature reserves.

An excellent speaker, Xi has cherished every opportunity to share his stories about animals and nature and his thoughts about conservation. He has embraced livestreaming on social media platforms to engage and inspire a broader audience.

Xi said he started experimenting with new ways of communication in 2017 during his participation in a wildlife observation festival in Qinghai. Later he livestreamed the blooming of rhododendron flowers and the sighting of a blood pheasant on top of the Cangshan Mountains.

"When Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys faced threats, I wrote a letter to the authorities; upon the poaching of Tibetan antelopes, I reported the issue on CCTV; in the case of endangered green peafowls, I first shared insights on our (Wild China) WeChat public account before exposing the crisis through Sina Weibo," Xi said. "To reach a wider audience and broaden our influence, we have to adapt to the trend of the times."

For the same reason, he considers documentary films to be the optimal medium to showcase the captivating allure of China's wildlife.

"TV's impact has waned, while short videos tend to be too fragmented. In contrast, films on the big screen offer viewers an immersive one-hour experience," he said.

So he plans to focus his future work on producing wildlife films, with the next project, probably Yunnan Snob-nosed Monkeys and Friends, he said.

chenliang@chinadaily.com.cn