The fifth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) opened this week in Hainan, and its star mascots are making waves – literally! Meet 'Yuanyuan' and 'Xiaoxiao,' the dynamic duo transformed into rainforest conservation researchers this year. Their new outfits aren’t just fashion statements – they symbolize Hainan’s hard-earned progress in protecting its lush ecosystems.
Inspired by the critically endangered Hainan gibbon, the mascots mirror a real-life comeback story. These rare primates, found only on the island, nearly vanished by the 1970s (only 7-9 survived! ). But today, their numbers have quadrupled to 42 across seven family groups, thanks to a 20-year conservation marathon.
'Gibbons are like rainforest health indicators,' explains Dr. Li Wei, a local ecologist. 'Their survival means clean air, balanced ecosystems – and hope for our planet.' The province aims to double their population by 2035 through habitat restoration and hi-tech monitoring.
Why care? As Hainan grows into a global trade hub, this story proves economic development and environmentalism can coexist. Plus, the mascots’ glow-up shows how creativity can turn conservation into a viral conversation. Next stop: A greener future where jungles thrive – and gibbons never stop swinging!
Meet 'Yuanyuan' and 'Xiaoxiao,' the dynamic duo transformed into rainforest conservation researchers this year. Their new outfits aren’t just fashion statements – they symbolize Hainan’s hard-earned progress in protecting its lush ecosystems.
). But today, their numbers have quadrupled to 42 across seven family groups, thanks to a 20-year conservation marathon. 
As Hainan grows into a global trade hub, this story proves economic development and environmentalism can coexist. Plus, the mascots’ glow-up shows how creativity can turn conservation into a viral conversation. 
Next stop: A greener future where jungles thrive – and gibbons never stop swinging!
