Nighttime adventures educating urban kids

It was 10 pm at Fragrant Hills Park in northwestern Beijing, formerly a hunting ground for emperors, and 20 boys and girls were having a summer adventure.

Teacher Li Weiyang led a group of elementary school students, dressed in yellow shirts and reflective vests, as he walked down a trail. He picked up a small toad from the roadside, held it on his palm and flashed a light on top of the creature. The toad retracted his head and peed on his fingers. The boys immediately gathered around Li and marveled as they observed the toad's reactions.

"That was its stress reaction," said Li, 40, team leader of the night safari. "But don't try to taste the liquid. Your tongue will suffer for days, and don't ask how I know about this."