Meet China’s ‘Deer Mannies’ : Guardians Saving a Rare Species

Inside the Dafeng Milu Reserve: Where Humans and Wildlife Collab

In Jiangsu Province’s Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve, a team of unsung heroes works 24/7 to protect the milu deer – a species once nearly extinct. These ‘Deer Mannies,’ like keeper Yu Xiaopeng, balance preparing nutrient-packed meals for captive-bred deer with tracking their wild cousins’ movements via drones and GPS.

From Family Legacy to Wildlife Rescue

Ranger Yao Yajun grew up surrounded by these majestic creatures – his parents helped found the reserve in the 1980s. Now, he leads patrols through marshes and forests, rescuing injured deer with the precision of a Marvel hero . ‘Every life matters,’ Yao says, recalling a midnight operation to save a fawn trapped in mud.

Sacrifices Under the Canopy

The job isn’t all Insta-worthy sunset patrols . Rangers miss family birthdays, brave extreme weather, and face risks from disoriented deer during mating season. But their reward? Watching the herd grow from 39 deer in 1986 to over 8,000 today – a conservation win as sweet as K-pop’s global takeover .

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Harmony Keepers: Guardians of milu deer

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