Wang Yan frowned as he recorded a video, chatting with a man nearby who was watching the commotion, "Who put out the cat food? You can't feed them like this."
The man replied, "I did. What's wrong with that?"
Wang Yan was momentarily stunned, realizing the culprit was right next to him!
He exclaimed, "Feeding like this, the cat food is all eaten by the raccoon dogs. This will cause their population to explode."
The man responded, "I don't feed the cats; I feed the raccoon dogs. I think raccoon dogs are cuter than cats."
He retorted, "People can feed stray cats, so why can't I feed raccoon dogs?"
Wang Yan explained, "Feeding stray cats or raccoon dogs is harmful behavior...
When these young raccoon dogs leave their nests, they learn survival skills from their parents, like finding food and avoiding humans. After weaning, inexperienced young raccoon dogs are driven out to reduce the family's burden and start their own independent lives in unknown areas.
During this process, most will die due to hunger, disease, predators, harsh weather, or traffic accidents. Only a few skilled, healthy individuals will survive, ensuring the natural selection process that keeps the population healthy and strong.
In this community, we've observed a ratio of young raccoon dogs to adults at about 5:1, meaning almost every newborn raccoon dog has survived, which is abnormal.
If young raccoon dogs just eat cat food without learning other survival skills, they will lose their ability to survive independently in the wild.
Moreover, wild animals need to migrate to find new habitats, establish territories before wintering or breeding. Feeding points disrupt their normal movement patterns, diminishing their migration and reproduction abilities, leading to a severe decline in the overall survival capability of the raccoon dog population."
Fang Ye added, "Raccoon dogs are naturally timid and shy, which makes them endearing. However, after being fed by humans, they lose their fear and may even become more aggressive, similar to the monkeys on Mount Emei.
Normally, raccoon dogs wouldn't fight so much. An increase in their population could also lead to outbreaks of infectious diseases, a natural regulatory mechanism.
Raccoon dogs are canines and can theoretically carry rabies. If their numbers explode and they become aggressive towards humans, they might have to be dealt with, bearing the consequences of human mistakes.
Feeding them, although well-intentioned, actually harms them."
Previously, although some had advised him against feeding, no one had explained it so clearly.
The man had thought he was doing a good deed and had been resistant to advice, feeling defiant: "If you tell me not to feed them, I'll do it even more!"
Hearing about these consequences, he was no longer as confident. Though his expression was unclear in the dark, he seemed a bit embarrassed, muttering, "Alright, I'll be more careful in the future."
Leaving the feeding spot, Fang Ye remarked, "Today has been eye-opening. There are people feeding stray cats and dogs, and now someone who likes raccoon dogs and feeds them exclusively!"
Besides infrared cameras, they also set up some traps in the community.
Some raccoon dogs, tempted by food, were caught and fitted with GPS trackers to record their movements.
Over the next period, they investigated all the communities with raccoon dog problems.
Realizing a comprehensive investigation was difficult, they launched an activity on their public WeChat account, inviting residents to share sightings of raccoon dogs.
During their surveys, they heard a variety of opinions, showing how complex people's reactions to raccoon dogs were.
An elderly lady was happy even though raccoon dogs dug up her garden and ate her flowers.
Some residents living in villas had raccoon dogs digging holes underneath, and one even planned to poison them, a dangerous idea that was promptly discouraged.
Residents on the ground floor were annoyed by the nightly noise from raccoon dogs, while those on higher floors, unaffected by the noise, were more tolerant.
Residents with young children or dogs, who frequently went outside, were more opposed to raccoon dogs, while those who stayed indoors playing games or ordering takeout didn't mind.
Feeding had also led to conflicts among residents.
"How can you tell us not to feed them? Don't you have a conscience? Wild animals are precious, aren't cat and dog lives worth anything? Do you know the lifespan of a stray cat? Have you seen stray cats being caught, tortured, having their ears cut off, eyes gouged out? You don't know anything! Hoping for stray cats to die out! I urge you to be kind; if animals go extinct, humans won't be far behind!"
"The concept of stray cats is both stupid and malicious. Why not talk about stray lions in Africa or stray giant pandas in Sichuan?"
"Are humans the only ones allowed to live on Earth? Don't stray animals deserve to live? Can stray animals be eradicated? If you oppose feeding stray cats and dogs, try going without food for a few days yourself."
"You say you only feed cats, not raccoon dogs. How can you ensure every piece of cat food goes to the cats? If you like them, take them home."
"If you're so compassionate, why not take those stray cats home and pamper them? What good does scattering cat food do other than giving you a cheap sense of self-satisfaction? Wasting community resources, making a mess, with cat calls all night long. Stop pretending to be a saint, ugh!"
In some communities where raccoon dogs had eaten the stray cats, it sparked intense conflicts among cat lovers, cat haters, raccoon dog lovers, and those who hated both cats and raccoon dogs.
As Wang Yan said, the essence of the world is diversity. There are many kinds of animals, and people are diverse too. Growing up in different environments, people have different thoughts, which is normal.
However, some opinions made them realize the importance of science education.
Different ideas are normal, but actions should be guided by professionals.
After the investigation, they advised the community property management and neighborhood committees to urge residents to stop all feeding activities, regardless of what they were feeding.
The neighborhood committee, already troubled by complaints about raccoon dogs but afraid to harm them, implemented strong measures after receiving the advice.
The results were immediate!
Within a few days, young raccoon dogs stopped begging for food, and the noise from raccoon dogs fighting at night significantly decreased.
Since it was still the breeding season for raccoon dogs, disturbing them could lead to the accidental death of cubs. They planned to relocate the raccoon dogs to the wild once the cubs grew up and became independent in a couple of months.
During this investigation, Fang Ye also had many ideas for the construction of the urban animal exhibit area.
August.
Yun Duo exhibited signs of refusing food, restlessness, and rubbing against the walls. The keepers determined that she had entered the final stage of labor and that it was a real pregnancy, not a false one!
Fang Ye went over to comfort Yun Duo several times, and the keepers kept a close watch on Yun Duo's room through the surveillance cameras, with the vet on standby.
Yun Duo wasn't eating bamboo, so they provided her with some cardboard boxes to tear and bite when she felt uncomfortable.
This actually worked quite well!
After tearing up the cardboard boxes, Yun Duo seemed to calm down a bit.
However, by evening, she started showing signs of distress again.
She remained still against the wall, looking very pained even through the surveillance camera.
It seemed like she was about to give birth!
Although Yun Duo was in great discomfort, there wasn't much they could do to help with the birthing process. All they could do was silently pray, feeling a bit heavy-hearted.
This was Yun Duo's first time giving birth, and they didn't know if it would be successful.
At first, she leaned against the wall, breathing deeply with her mouth open, her belly moving up and down.
Then she changed positions, lying on her back on the ground, her body swaying as if she was trying hard to push.
After several hours of struggle, the panda cubs were finally born!
Two pink, tiny cubs, looking like little mice, fell from beneath her, immediately letting out loud cries.
Yun Duo quickly got up and tried to pick up the cubs, placing them on her belly.
The cubs needed their mother's body heat and licking to survive. Even though it was her first time giving birth and no one had taught her, this instinct was ingrained in her genes, and she knew what to do naturally.
After placing the cubs on her belly, Yun Duo finally relaxed, her tense body loosening, and she panted heavily with her mouth open.
Holding the cubs, she gently licked them, removing the placenta, and then closed her eyes lightly.
Yun Duo had expended a lot of energy giving birth and was now very tired.
Fang Ye and the keepers, who had stayed up all night, were overjoyed to see the cubs born safely!
Many of them even shed tears.
Fang Ye wanted to go comfort Yun Duo but didn't want to disturb her rest, so he went to Zhuang Zhuang's enclosure instead.
Zhuang Zhuang was awake late at night, munching on bamboo.
The cries of panda cubs are very loud, ensuring that their near-sighted parents don't overlook them.
Although Zhuang Zhuang's and Yun Duo's enclosures were quite far apart, the quiet of the night made the cubs' cries clearer, and Zhuang Zhuang probably heard something faintly.
Fang Ye waved at Zhuang Zhuang, who came over, his shiny eyes staring at Fang Ye. Fang Ye patted his nose and smiled, "Zhuang Zhuang, hey, did you know you just became a dad?"
Zhuang Zhuang tilted his head and hugged the railing, indicating he had no idea.
For pandas, only the mother is involved in raising the cubs; the concept of a father doesn't exist, as the cubs are solely raised by the mother.
...
Newborn panda cubs are pink and covered in a layer of fluffy white fur.
Their tails are thin and small, occasionally wagging.
Yes, newborn panda cubs have thin, long tails!
However, their tails don't grow as quickly as their bodies, eventually appearing shorter and turning into small, inconspicuous tufts.
The cubs grow very quickly; after about ten days, their black and white colors become distinct.
By 20 days, their body length is comparable to an adult's forearm. At this point, they no longer need to stay constantly in their mother's embrace or the nursery box to maintain body temperature; they can be placed outside.
Zoo fans eagerly awaited the chance to see the panda cubs after learning of their birth!
So a live stream was arranged for them.
As soon as the live stream started, many impatient viewers flooded in.
"They're here, they're here!"
"Here to see the pandas!"
"I wonder what the cubs look like now?"
Fang Ye smiled, "We're going to sneak Yun Duo's cubs out now!
Breeding pandas is challenging, not just in mating but also in raising the cubs, especially when a panda gives birth to twins.
Panda mothers, due to insufficient milk or limited energy, usually choose to raise one cub and abandon the other.
In captivity, we assist in raising the cubs.
We usually use food to lure the mother away and 'steal' the cubs, allowing the mother to take turns raising both cubs."
The viewers were immediately excited.
"Is that really how it's done?"
"Sounds like fun!"
The keepers had already prepared the food.
There were apples and a bowl of milk!
They would see which one Yun Duo liked. Sometimes food might not attract her interest, and they would switch to another type.
"Let's go!" Fang Ye snapped his fingers, picked up the milk, and headed to Yun Duo's enclosure, explaining to the viewers, "When the cubs are just born, we switch them frequently, up to ten times a day."
A curious viewer asked, "If the mother panda can't handle twins, do they still need to be switched if there's only one cub?"
Fang Ye replied, "Yes, they do! Switching the cubs not only provides the mother with enough nutrition but also allows us to give the cubs a health check, monitor their milk intake, take their temperature, weigh them, and observe their stool color, among other things."
Yun Duo was sitting by the wall, holding a cub in her arms!
She looked ahead with a gentle expression, her mouth slightly upturned.
It seemed like she was smiling, thinking, "My cub is so cute!"
Occasionally, she would lower her head and lick the cub in her arms.
The little cub whimpered, and Yun Duo rubbed her chin against it, lifting her paw as if kneading a soft, sticky rice ball.
Not holding it properly, the cub rolled off Yun Duo's belly, landing softly on the ground, looking like a round, soft ball with black sesame filling oozing out!
The cub couldn't crawl yet and its eyes were still closed.
Falling to the ground, it turned its round head in confusion, lifting its front paw and scratching the floor.
"Ah~ Ah~~" it cried sharply, as if calling, "Mom, I fell! Look at me!"
Hearing the cub's cries, Yun Duo blinked twice, tilted her head, and glanced over.
Huh, when did my cub fall?
She quickly picked it up and placed it back on her belly!
The cub, now comfortable, let out soft whimpers.
The viewers' hearts melted at this scene!
"Awww, so cute!"
"Yun Duo was already a gentle and quiet panda, but she seems even more tender as a mother!"
"Haha, if you say Yun Duo is well-behaved, the trees in the zoo would disagree!"
"She looks like she's smiling! Is having a baby that joyful?"
"I didn't know pandas held their babies like that!"
"Big round ball kneading a small round ball."
"Yun Duo is a beautiful panda, and her cubs are adorable too!"
"Oh my, this makes me want to have a baby!"
Kommentar absatzweise anzeigen
Die Absatzkommentarfunktion ist jetzt im Web! Bewegen Sie den Mauszeiger über einen beliebigen Absatz und klicken Sie auf das Symbol, um Ihren Kommentar hinzuzufügen.
Außerdem können Sie es jederzeit in den Einstellungen aus- und einschalten.
ICH HAB ES