Protective measures help Chinese alligators thrive

Predator concerns

In 2003, concerned about some hatchling alligators on a small island in the reservoir that were being stalked by egrets, She and Zhang began bringing the newborns to their home to raise them and boost their survival rate.

At the time, a national conservation base was established in the area. The staff members dug a pond and installed a light bulb above their door to facilitate feeding the young alligators with insects attracted by the light at night. As the alligators grew, they were sent to a Chinese alligator breeding farm in Xuancheng for further protection and care.

When crawfish were becoming popular and fetching high prices in the market, some people took the opportunity to catch them in cages placed in the reservoir.

She was worried that the cages might trap the young alligators, so she patrolled the area several times a day and persuaded the villagers to stop using the cages whenever she saw them doing so. Even so, staff members at the conservation area confiscated nearly 60 cages.

After Zhang Xuhong died, She's grandsons often took her to the small island by boat to check on the alligators. However, all her grandsons eventually left the area to attend further education establishments, so she had her eldest son, Zhang Honghua, return to the island at weekends to weed and water the alligators' nests.

In 2018, Zhang Honghua returned to his hometown for good, becoming a new guardian of the alligators. Now, the elderly mother and her 64-year-old son patrol the area every day, braving all kinds of weather as they remain dedicated to their task of safeguarding the alligators in the wild.