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Wonder of Life, is a new book about wildlife conservation in China with images by Wild Wonders of China photographers Magnus Lundgren, Staffan Widstrand and Suzi Eszterhas. The book is released by Chinese National Geography, owned by the Chinese Academy of Science.

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UNSEEN, UNEXPECTED, UNFORGETTABLE

The Wild Wonders of China exhibition is now open at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It showcases China's natural treasures and fascinating wildlife, highlighting the many Chinese conservation success stories, showing that nature conservation really works. The exhibition with stunning photography is there to enjoy until May 3, 2020. Welcome!

https://www.wildlifeart.org/exhibits/wild-wonders-china-photography-staffan-widstrand/

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Milu deer story in National Geographic China

Staffan Widstrands images of the Chinese Milu deer (Père David's  deer) are part of a big story in the Chinese edition of National Geographic Magazine, including its cover image! "Proud. Yet another result from Wild Wonders of China!" says Staffan. 

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Top 20 in the Golden Porpoise Photo Competition

Three Wild Wonders of China images are among the top 20 finalists in the Chinese Golden Porpoise photo competition. The images photographed by Magnus Lundgren and Staffan Widstrand are on show here at the United Nations biodiversity conference held in Sharm El Sheikh Egypt 13-29 November.

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Wild Wonders of China – IMAX 3D

Wild Wonders of China partner Blue Sky are planning to make a Wild Wonders  of China IMAX film in 3D! “These giant screen films are made to inspire and encourage deeper knowledge of universal themes” says the director and producers of Wild Wonders of China 3D. “Our enthusiasm for the subject material of this project is surpassed only by our intention to make as good a film as possible and to do it in a safe and secure manner.” Wild Wonders of China give its full support of this project and will report here on the process.

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WWF Panda Book of the Year Award 2018

WWF Sweden gives Widstrand & Lundgren The Panda Book of the Year Award 2018 for the book

”Ett vildare liv” (“A WILDER LIFE”)

A WILDER LIFE is a magnificent coffee-table book about the return of the wild, often called “rewilding”.

“We want to see more of the wild coming back into our lives. We believe that almost all places can become one or several steps wilder. Often with surprisingly small efforts leading to great results. We ask ourselves what we could all do for the wild, in our daily lives, suggesting a number of possible actions. At the same time also demonstrating some of the latest successes within rewilding and nature conservation. It really works. Through emotional imagery from the Wild Wonders of Europe and Rewilding Europe initiatives, we showcase Europe’s amazing natural heritage. The powerful visuals underline how absolutely exciting and loveable nature is in our part of the world.”

Staffan Widstrand and Magnus Lundgren

This first edition of “Ett vildare liv” is in Swedish. The book can be ordered already today through WWF Sweden ([email protected] or phone [phone]), or bought in a bookstore from early October onward.

A very special thanks to the brilliant Wild Wonders of Europe photographers Vincent Munier (the cover image), Grzegorz Leśniewski, Florian Möllers, Sandra Bartocha, Daniel Bergmann, Maurizio Biancarelli, Peter Cairns, Laurie Campbell, Cornelia Dörr, Martin Falklind, Erlend Haarberg, Ole Jørgen Liodden, Mireille de la Lez, David Maitland,Diego López, Verena Popp-Hackner, Iñaki Relanzon, Stefano Unterthiner, Markus Varesvuo, Konrad Wothe, Sven Zacek, Solvin Zankl and Christian Ziegler, whose pictures feature in the book, alongside Staffan’s and Magnus’s. Thanks of course to Nikon, Världsnaturfonden WWF and Rewilding Europe, Nokia and Epson, who have been solid partners over the years it took to produce this material. Finally, thanks also to Lotta Odelius, who is the design genius behind the graphic design of the book!

The book is printed on a 100% recycled paper called Cocoon Silk, from Antalis. Not one new tree has had to be cut for it.

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Eco Forum Global Conference in Guiyang and Huangguoshu 16-19 June

The yearly mustering of most of China’s top business leaders and government officials, to continue developing the important national policy concept of ”Eco-civilization”.

This year we were invited, together with Vance Martin of the WILD Foundation, to be part of the discussions. One focus point for the meeting in Huangguoshu was also about furthering the World Heritage status application for the Huangguoshu waterfalls.

Staffan Widstrand held an image presentation about Wild Wonders of China in Huangguoshu, where the images really came across to the 500+ audience, on the almost 15 metre wide, beautifully curved LED screen on stage. Our presentation was one of the few that had a visual basis, and we showed huge photos from the nature that everyone else was talking about. It was greatly appreciated.

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Keke Xili, Qinghai, selected by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site

Congratulations to China's nature conservationists, for yet another significant victory: The UNESCO World Heritage Site listing on July 7, 2017 of Qinghai Hoh Xil, on the Tibetan high plateau, home grounds to about 50 000 of the exclusive Tibetan antelope, (Pantholops hodgsoni), an endemic species to this region and one of China's come-back species. The area that is given this status of "outstanding global value" is no less than 4,1 million hectares (41 000 sq km) in size! Many other high altitude wildlife species live here, f ex Tibetan wolf, Tibetan brown bear, Tibetan fox, Tibetan gazelle, Tibetan pika, wild yak, snow leopard, saker falcon and Pallas's cat or Manul, which is shown here. Another big step forward in China's nature conservation efforts.  

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The first ever Wilderness maps of China, now published

In June 2017, the scientific journal ”China Landscape Architecture” in 2017, 6:26-33 published a landmark set of maps, based on years of studying satellite image data, by researchers Cao Yue, Long Ying and Yang Rui, with the title ”Identification and Spatial distribution of Wilderness areas at the National Scale in Mainland China”. This is the first time ever China’s wilderness areas have been defined and identified on a map. This will be very useful when the country moves ahead with its national park system.

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Photo expedition in Dehong, Yunnan

During April and May Staffan Widstrand and Roy Mangersnes carried out an expedition together with Chen Jianwei and Wei Jun, to the Dehong prefecture in SW Yunnan, right beside the border with Burma. We were invited by Nature Images China as a part of their project with the Dehong Government, called ”Beautiful Dehong”. We photographed a lot of wildlife and landscapes in this tropical part of the country. From Skywalker gibbons, three species of hornbill, Phayer’s leaf monkeys, giant squirrels, giant slaty woodpeckers, grey peacock pheasants, Kalij pheasants and red junglefowl, pied falconets plus a host of smaller birds like barbets, laughingthrushes and broadbills.

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Nikon partners with Wild Wonders of China

We welcome that Nikon Corporation just signed up to join Wild Wonders of China as our camera gear partner for several years to come. A majority of our photographers already use Nikon equipment. We will be developing several exciting cooperations with Nikon around this partnership in the near time and over the coming years. We would here like to pay our respect and express our gratitude to Nikon for joining our Dream Team of partners at this important early stage of the project.

With this investment, Nikon clearly shows that they are ”At the heart of the image”.

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China’s Massive New National Park

Adding to an already impressive list of achievements in the past year towards President Xi’s stated goal of “ecological civilization,” China has approved a new national park larger than the USA’s Yellowstone in the NE part of the country. This new park will protect critical habitat for the world’s most endangered large cats—the Amur leopard and the Siberian (Amur) Tiger.

 The new park will span over 14,500 sq. km., and will be a cornerstone of China’s newly created National Park System, which the government created by working in close partnership with the Chicago-based Paulson Institute. While this new park system strives to improve on modern environmental conservation, it is worth noting that China is also home to some of the world’s first protected areas and some of the longest continually protected areas as well.

 Finally, we will be keeping a close eye on developments in this park and look forward to bringing you images from a full blown photo mission here when the time is right.

Photo by Chen Jianwei

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Exhibition at the 20th ”Festival de la Photo et de la Nature” in Montier-en-Der, France

The first exhibition in Europe of Wild Wonders of China images was displayed in Montier-en-Der, Europe’s largest nature photo festival, if you judge by the numbers, some 40 000 people passed throught the event over a busy weekend in this little village. It was called ”The first photos” and showed some of the images from the first Pioneer photo expeditions and from some of our partners. Chen Jianwei and Staffan Widstrand were speakers at the inauguration and celebration event, and over the following days took turns to meet the masses of people checking out our exhibition. Two very common reactions among the audience seeing our images from China, were: ”Ah, I didn’t know there was any nature in China” and ”I had no idea these animals existed at all”.

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Natural Ecology-International Photography Festival in Yichun, Heilongjiang China

From July 23-29 Staffan Widstrand and Jed Weingarten attended the “First Session of Natural Ecology-International Photography Festival . The event was held in Yichun City of Heilongjiang Province, and was put on by The China Photographic Publishing House. Staffan, Jed, and S. African Koot Marais joined many of China’s best photographers to give presentations on various topics. The keynote speaker was National Geographic photographer Carsten Peter, who blew the crowd away with his brilliant presentation on caves, volcanoes, and tornadoes.

A very large exhibition was held that featured images from Wild Wonders of China, Wild Wonders of Europe, National Geographic, and many of China’s top shooters. Panels were held to discuss many important subjects, and perhaps the most lively discussion surrounded the issues of copyright and intellectual property.

It is great to see that China is now starting to focus on these issues, and festivals like this one are great forums to keep issues like these at the forefront. In between all of this activity, Staffan, Jed, Koot, and Carsten left the hotel at 3 am each morning to go and photograph the local area.

Wild Wonders of China wishes to express thanks the China Photographic Publishing House for a great event!

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Giant panda no longer Endangered!

The IUCN recently re-classified both the panda and the Tibetan antelope, changing them from “endangered” to “vulnerable”, a huge step that reflects the effectiveness of the conservation measures that have been implemented by the Chinese government, since both species are found only within China.

There are currently an estimated 2,060 wild pandas, which is a huge improvement from a low of just over 1,200 in the 1980s. In the decade before 2014, the population of pandas increased by 17%. Much of this success is due to efforts by the government to re-wild some of China’s countryside, re-creating the bamboo forests and re-populating them with pandas.

According to WWF, who’s logo features the loveable panda, “These efforts have seen the number of panda reserves jump to 67, which now protect nearly two-thirds of all wild pandas. They have also helped to safeguard large swathes of mountainous bamboo forests, which shelter countless other species and provide natural services to vast numbers of people, including tens of millions who live alongside rivers downstream of panda habitat.”

We at Wild Wonders of China look forward to bringing you images of both the pandas and China’s other, lesser-known wildlife and wild places.

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Hong Kong underwater

Many people are unaware of the rich biodiversity that exists in the waters around the modern metropolis of Hong Kong. Below that thin blue line that we refer to as "sea level," there exists an entire new world. Or actually an old world, more ancient than almost anything on land. All kinds of creatures call these rich waters home, most of them being completely unaware that they live next to one of the world's busiest big cities. Magnus Lundgren carried out the difficult task of photographing these creatures in the ocean, while Chen Jianwei and Wu Ying photographed Hong Kong coasts and rainforests, all in cooperation with the National Geographic Society. Please view the Hong Kong Gallery

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First image quest to Inner Mongolia – A photographer’s dream come true

For decades, I had hoped to one day travel to Inner Mongolia. Finally, it was time for it, together with Chinese nature photographers Li Yuliang and Wu Ying. Mr Li has spent a lot of time up here over the last 7 years and has gotten to know both people, locations and wildlife here very well. He very graciously took us along to his favourite spots, to unheard-of nature reserves and wild natural areas in the arid semi-deserts, on the dry steppes and in the vast green grasslands. This road trip along roads less travelled, revealed to us that Inner Mongolia is a truly stunning place, some really ”Big Sky Country”, with hills, mountains and high sand dunes frequently consisting the horizon line, when it isn’t table-flat for dozens of kilometres.

It also has a really distinctive Mongolian cultural flavour, which is very visible everywhere where there are people. Round, classic Yurt tents and houses are mostly white with elegant painted markings in blue, meander lines or stylized ram’s head patterns. But people are pretty few and far between up here, Inner Mongolia is a very sparsely populated place, and thanks also to the Mongolian cultural attitudes toward wildlife, there is a lot of room also for birds and other wildlife. And the birdlife is teeming, it is fascinating to realise that these quite dry landscapes can be home to so many and so diverse wild creatures, from cute small Mongolian desert jumping mice that are called jerboas, over amazingly tame desert hares to the tall and majestic white-naped, demoiselle and red-crowned cranes.

Staffan Widstrand/Wild Wonders of China

Please see the images in our Inner Mongolia Gallery