Rich wildlife inspires amateur photographer

"When the majestic yellow and black creature appeared on the camera screen, I couldn't contain my excitement," he said. "From then on, recording wild animals became the most important part of my life."

In 2014, Gu purchased professional photography equipment and began taking pictures of wild animals in the forest. When patrolling the forest, he always carries a sickle, not for cutting grass, but to strike tree trunks and make enough noise to alert any nearby tigers to his presence and avoid risky encounters.

The walls of his small wooden house are covered with images of the wild animals Gu has captured over the years, including a black bear gnawing on a carcass while an egret waits nearby, a fox following a tiger's tracks to scavenge leftovers, and a tiger and a raccoon dog within 2 meters of each other without disturbing each other. The most exciting moment for him was capturing a tiger trailed by her five cubs in March this year.

"Previously, I only recorded one tiger with four cubs, but this time, there was one tiger with five cubs," he said. "It shows that there is abundant prey and a truly improved ecological environment."

Over the years, Gu has taken hundreds of photos of wild animals and held photographic exhibitions, widening the audience for life in the wild. He has also given lectures to primary and secondary schools, as well as universities in the prefecture.

"When the children looked at the shining eyes of the tigers on the screen, they exclaimed 'wow'," he said. "For me, teaching the next generation to love animals and protect their homes can be considered a contribution."