Zhongxin Shebaoshan, 5 May -- The common wish of the two generations of "bird guides" in Gaoligong Mountain

China News Agency reporter Han Shuainan

Drive to Baihualing Village, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, located at the eastern foot of Gaoligong Mountain, and sing birds and flowers along the way. It is rich in biodiversity, especially birds. So far, more than 340 species of birds have been recorded in the area, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign bird lovers to watch and shoot birds here all year round.

"Lao Hou is the first 'bird guide' in our village, and he knows thousands of kinds of birds, which is powerful!" "The little Ge of the old Hou family is also very good, and every holiday he will take dolls from all over the country into the mountains to conduct research." In the area of Baihualing Village, when the two sons-in-law of Hou Tiguo and Ge Baozhi were mentioned, no one did not give a thumbs up. As the best of the older generation and the younger generation of "bird guides", the two have made the concept of biodiversity conservation deeply rooted in the hearts of the people in their own different ways.

Lao Hou: From "Bird Hunter" to "First Bird Guide"

"In the past, villagers relied on the mountains to eat the mountains, and in order to fill their stomachs, it was common to go into the mountains to hunt birds." Hou Tiguo, who was born in 1969, recalls that in the past, Baihualing Village was closed to traffic, poor and backward, and most of the villagers relied on logging, picking and hunting in the mountains to make a living.

The transformation came in 1989. At that time, a Taiwanese couple came to Baihualing to watch birds and met Hou Tiguo on the way to hunt birds. The two patiently persuaded him to put down his shotgun and hired him as a guide. Since then, Baihualing Village has added a new profession - "bird guide".

With the advantage of being familiar with the terrain and bird habits, Hou Tiguo has gradually become famous in the "birding circle". More and more bird lovers at home and abroad come to Baihualing to help him watch and shoot birds.

"I don't know foreign languages, but I can communicate with foreigners through bird guides." Hou said that when a birdman in the country identifies a bird in the atlas, he can accurately identify the habitat of that species.

In the process of engaging in "bird guidance", Hou Tiguo recognized the importance of biodiversity conservation, "when the forest is protected, there will be more birds, and more people will come to watch birds."

Under the guidance of the local government and the drive of Hou Tiguo, the "bird-watching economy" of Baihualing Village has become increasingly mature. After the villagers tasted the sweetness of ecological protection, they changed from "bird hunters" to "bird protectors". In 1995, China's first farmers' biodiversity conservation association, Gaoligongshan Farmers' Biodiversity Conservation Association, was established.

Hou Tiguo said that nowadays, villagers who have gone out to work have returned to the village to engage in bird-watching related work, accommodation, catering and other industries have begun to take shape, the infrastructure of the village has been continuously improved, and the income of villagers has grown rapidly.

"Now we have changed from 'relying on mountains and eating mountains' to 'harmonious coexistence between man and nature'." Hou Tiguo said proudly.

Xiao Ge: The "second generation of Guan" who is not doing business

Ge Baozhi, Hou Tiguo's second son-in-law, is a typical "post-90s". Recently, he was busy shooting a series of short science videos about insects in Gaoligong Mountain, "I designed some simple and interesting plots, the highest of which has been viewed more than <>,<> times." The villagers jokingly called him a "second generation of Guan" who "did not do his job".

In 2015, Ge Baozhi gave up his city life and came to Baihualing Village to learn birdwatching knowledge with Hou Tiguo. After becoming a "bird guide", he gradually discovered that bird watching is a niche hobby, and he believes that the rich biological resources of Gaoligong Mountain "hidden in the boudoir" are more worthy of public understanding.

So Ge Baozhi began to immerse himself in learning about the flora and fauna of Gaoligong Mountain, and at the same time pondered how to make the local biodiversity widely known. After several years of hard work, he not only operated the birdwatching business well, but also launched a series of services such as nature course education, animal and plant research related services, and Gaoligong Mountain tour route customization.

"My father-in-law knows very well about the habitat of birds, their habits, the meaning of their songs, etc., but these are a bit boring for children." Ge Baozhi introduced that he will compile the knowledge of "how birds courtship" and "how insects protect themselves" into interesting short stories to tell to the children who come to Gaoligong Mountain to study.

"Lao Hou and I spread the common idea of biodiversity conservation in different ways and among different people." Ge Baozhi said with a smile. (End)