In the Lop Nur Wild Camel National Nature Reserve in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, wild camels live in small groups, far away from human activity, enjoying a secluded and peaceful life.

Many may wonder why camels, which are quite common, need protection. The answer lies in the distinction between domesticated camels and wild camels. Domesticated camels, raised by humans, exist in large numbers. In contrast, wild camels are extremely rare and are classified as a first-class protected animal in China.

In recent years, the Lop Nur Wild Camel National Nature Reserve has employed an integrated monitoring system that combines space-based, ground-level, and aerial technologies. This system enables comprehensive and continuous monitoring and tracking of wild camels, contributing to a steady increase in their population.

If wild camels and domesticated camels were to appear together, most people would struggle to tell them apart. According to the mainstream academic view, wild camels and domesticated camels diverged from a common lineage hundreds of thousands of years ago, each evolving independently in different environments. Genetic comparisons by scientists have revealed a two percent to three percent genetic difference between the two, confirming that they are distinct species.

Compared to the large population base of domesticated camels, wild camels once faced an imminent threat of extinction. In the 1990s, the global wild camel population had dwindled to fewer than 1,000 individuals, found only in China and Mongolia. In 1988, China listed wild camels as a first-class protected animal, and in 2002, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified them as critically endangered.

Urgent measures were needed to protect wild camels. In 2003, with the approval of the State Council, the Lop Nur Wild Camel National Nature Reserve was upgraded to a national-level reserve. Located in the southeast of Xinjiang and bordering Gansu and Qinghai, the reserve covers an area of 61,200 square kilometers.

“Wild camels are a flagship species of the desert ecosystem and hold extremely important status and research value in global biodiversity conservation,” said Yuan Lei, director of the Lop Nur Wild Camel National Nature Reserve Management Center. “Their extinction would have irreversible consequences.” He added that the primary mission of the reserve is to ensure a steady increase in the wild camel population and effective protection of their habitats.

Yuan explained that wild camels are highly alert and can detect human activity from several kilometers away, quickly fleeing to avoid it. Excessive human disturbance can fragment their habitats, hindering population recovery.

To address this, the reserve has continuously strengthened its basic management capabilities. It has established ecological monitoring stations, video surveillance platforms, and patrol law enforcement supervision systems to create a monitoring system. This system enables comprehensive and continuous monitoring and tracking of wild camels, effectively protecting their population and habitats and curbing illegal activities that disturb wild camels and their environments.

Senior engineer Cheng Yun from the management center introduced that the monitoring system includes the BeiDou satellite navigation system and positioning monitoring from space, infrared camera monitoring and daily patrols on the ground, and drone patrols in the air.

Currently, more than 50 infrared cameras have been installed at water sources and animal corridors within the reserve to capture the natural activities of wildlife and their use of water sources. Over the years, these cameras have accumulated more than 100,000 data records.

Given the high alertness of wild camels, it is impossible to continuously observe their behavior with the naked eye. Therefore, the reserve has fitted 28 wild camels with satellite tracking collars. Researchers can use these collars to obtain real-time data on the camels' movements, and better understand the long-term activity patterns and migration habits of the wild camels.

Although wild camels have developed survival skills in extreme environments, changes in the ecosystem can still impact their population. To address this, the reserve has used the Internet of Things technology to set up automatic monitoring stations for sandstorms, meteorological and soil conditions, and water quality in key areas. These stations, equipped with various types of sensors, have greatly optimized the collection of ecological monitoring data.

Thanks to these effective conservation measures, the wild camel population in the reserve has steadily increased. From around 420 individuals at the end of the 20th century, the population has now grown to about 680, accounting for more than three-fifths of the global wild camel population.

Yuan said that the reserve will continue to improve its biodiversity database and establish a comprehensive protection management system that integrates fire prevention monitoring, forest management, field patrols, publicity and education, ecological monitoring, and geographic information. This will enhance the reserve's capacity for protection and management.

(Source: Science and Technology Daily, Reporter: Liang Le)