After years spent poaching, villagers become protectors

Forest ranger Liang Feng'en knows exactly how to keep hunters off his turf. He knows because until 15 years ago he was one.

"I was a hunter for many years," said the 59-year-old, one of the volunteers who now guard the wildlife of Suiyang county, a small area in eastern Heilongjiang province that borders Russia. "At the beginning, I didn't see myself as a protector. It took some time before I finally changed my way of thinking."

The work done by forest rangers is fundamental to China's efforts to protect the Amur tiger population. The job is tough, often involving long hours in freezing and dangerous conditions, and for little or no pay.