YNU researchers' pangolin research achievements recognized

The Liang Xi Forestry Science and Technology Award certificate for Yu and Hu. [Photo/ynu.edu.cn]

The results of the 14th Liang Xi Forestry Science and Technology Award were recently announced, with the project on Conservation and Restoration Techniques for Pangolin Populations led by Researcher Yu Li and Associate Researcher Hu Jingyang from Yunnan University's State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan winning the second prize for scientific progress.

Yu's team collaborated with the Guangdong Provincial Academy of Forestry Sciences and other organizations to address the unclear status of wild populations of the Chinese pangolin and the Sunda pangolin, as well as challenges in captive breeding technology and genetic preservation,

Their efforts focused on two technical areas: field resource protection and artificial breeding. The team identified the current and potential habitats of the Chinese pangolin, assessed the distribution and dynamics of wild populations, and identified critical threats.

The research revealed the ecological role of pangolins and their specialized feeding habits, leading to the development of technologies for population survey and monitoring, habitat identification and management, rescue techniques, nutritional management, and artificial breeding.

These innovations aim to rescue and restore wild pangolin populations and habitats, enhancing their ecological functions and contributing significantly to biodiversity conservation in China.

The Liang Xi Forestry Science and Technology Award, established in 2004 and approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology, is the highest honor in China's forestry sector, recognizing outstanding contributions to forestry research.