Ecological Policing Safeguards Green Sichuan

Sichuan province is one of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots. The region boasts diverse ecosystems， and serves as a crucial ecological belt and water conservation area for the upper reaches of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers. It is also home to 303 wild animal species under national priority protection and over 14，470 species of higher plants， accounting for more than one-third China's total. In recent years， significant progress has been made in protecting the biodiversity of Sichuan's ecosystem， thereby benefitting locals substantially. Behind these achievements is "ecological policing"，implemented by the Sichuan Public Security organs.

Safeguarding the "Peak of the Giant Panda Kingdom"

Balang Mountain， the "Peak of the Giant Panda Kingdom，"rises 5，040 meters above sea level. Its majestic， snow-capped summit stretches high into a sea of clouds. At dawn， the "Panda Guardians"（that is， officers from the Wolong Branch of the Aba Prefecture Public Security Bureau） embark on their daily patrol.

As the officers make their way through the mountain pass， they come across a herd of yaks grazing on flat terrain. The yaks seem accustomed to the officers' presence， and quickly gathered around them at the sound of a whistle.

"This is a fabulous tourist destination，"explained Wang Yong， the director of the Wolong police station. "Lots of tourists are swarming here every day and some of them are careless about their trash. If the yaks eat it， they could get sick. That would cause conflicts between local herders and tourists."

As tourists began to flock up the mountain for a glimpse of a sea of clouds， Wang Yong and his colleagues drove the yaks down the slope away from the crowds. Wang also reminded visitors to take care of the environment and avoid littering.

In recent years， the Public Security Bureau of Aba Autonomous Prefecture has been active in "ecological policing"， to further projecting Aba's unique image as an ecological habitat for giant pandas and other wildlife. Focusing on protection and management of the natural environment， the bureau's brave guardians in blue stand sentinel defending Aba's greenery.

Wolong National Nature Reserve，known as the "Giant Panda Kingdom"，sits at the foot of Balang Mountain.It is a crucial section of the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries（a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site） and the vast Giant Panda National Park that spans several provinces. Inside the reserve is Dengsheng Valley， the core of the wild giant panda conservation. It is at the valley entrance that the Wolong Branch of the Nanyang Public Security Bureau has a police station.

"Hey， look！ Giant panda feces！" exclaimed an officer during a routine patrol scouring an animal trail in the valley for signs of pandas. As spring approaches， temperatures begin to climb， and along with the warmer weather comes an uptick in wild animal activity， tourist traffic， and risk of forest fires. To address these challenges， the Wolong Public Security bureau has implemented an accountability system and bolstered its collaboration with the Department of Resource Protection and Management of the Wolong National Nature Reserve. Their forest law enforcement efforts entail routine patrols of high-risk areas vulnerable to wildlife poaching and trafficking， as well as forest fires. They also maintain close surveillance of the Reserve's border regions.

Inside the Dengsheng Panda Police Station， officers can easily view critical areas of the protected zone through real-time monitoring screens. A clip emerged of someone weaving his way in the restricted area. Upon discerning the location， Yu Tao， the Station's chief， promptly dispatched a drone to conduct a closer inspection， which revealed that it was not a trespasser after all.

"We have implemented a patrol system that incorporates smart policing and drone-assisted surveillance， resulting in a substantial improvement in efficiency，"Yu explained. "Previously， an armed patrol took a week in certain regions， but now the same task can be accomplished within just two hours."

In addition to conducting daily patrols， the officers have the important responsibility of performing rescue operations. The unique topography of the Wolong National Nature Reserve results in change able weather， sometimes even within the same area and day. As the Reserve has become increasingly popular among hiking enthusiasts， some of them have disregarded restrictions and put themselves in danger. To assist stranded hikers， the Wolong City Public Security Bureau has carried out several search and rescue operations， which entail significant investments in manpower， finances， and materials. To improve the effectiveness of these operations， the sub-bureau has introduced an emergency rescue program， providing thorough training for its officers in emergency rescue work， ensuring a swift response to any distress calls.

Protecting the Magnificent Scenery of Jiuzhaigou

In Jiuzhaigou's picturesque Baihe National Nature Reserve， a patrol team conduct their routine inspection. They brave rugged terrain， leap over churning mountain streams， and trek through dense forests. Formed by members from the Baihe Police Station， the Forest Police Brigade， and the Reserve， the teamhad the crucial task of preventing forest fires， safeguarding wildlife， and preventing wild animal poaching， trafficking， and illegal logging. Additionally， the team has a special task： checking upon their old friends， a pack of Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys. The Baihe National Nature Reserve is currently home to China's largest known population of wild Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys， with over 1，700 individuals of this nationally protected species thriving here.