With a farsighted Foreword by the renowned field biologist, George Schaller, Richard Harris presents a well-conceived and ably written examination of the challenges China faces in conserving wildlife in its vast western regions. Starting with a Preface that includes a short synopsis of the chapters that follow, Harris guides the reader through the vast amount of material that follows.
In Chapter 1, Harris makes a convincing argument for why wildlife and the conservation of its habitat are important and the extent of the challenge faced. The enormity of the task is sobering, yet the author, who admits he is ‘an advocate of change’, offers hope for the future.
Chapter 2 brings together an astounding amount of up-to-date information on the environmental situation, natural resource management problems and ethnic tensions in China's western regions. Understanding the biodiversity conservation issues in Western China requires knowledge of the unique geography and demographic trends facing the region, which Harris presents in a very informative and articulate manner in this chapter. Zoologists and wildlife biologists studying large ungulates often overlook or give scant attention to the rangelands, which is unfortunate as it is the grazing lands that provide habitat for wildlife and also provide forage for pastoralists' livestock. Many of the most pressing wildlife conservation issues in Western China are related to conflicts over livestock grazing or are associated with ill-conceived pastoral development programmes. Fortunately, Harris understands the importance of the rangeland ecosystems and provides a much-needed analysis of rangeland related issues in the final parts of this chapter.
China has a long history and thousands of years of interaction between its inhabitants and the natural environment. Harris, who speaks Chinese and has been working in China for over 20 years, is well positioned to discuss Chinese attitudes towards wildlife. Chapter 3 provides a valuable contribution to understanding of how Chinese culture influences Chinese peoples' attitudes and actions towards wildlife and the environment, information that is critical to developing conservation programmes that can have practical application in the context of China's culture.
Captive breeding of wildlife, which has a long history in China, is analysed in Chapter 4. Harris makes a strong argument that conservation of animals in the wild needs to focus on managing the animals in their habitat; a ‘focus on the wild’ as he terms it, not on the captive rearing of wild animals. China's laws and legal institutions for wildlife, little understood in the West, are scrutinized in Chapter 5. Harris reasons that existing wildlife laws often serve to alienate people from wildlife with which they live and provides few incentives for the nomads in China's west to protect wildlife. Chapter 6 provides a realistic assessment of China's system of nature reserves and why they are often so ineffective in accomplishing what they were established to do. For example, Harris points out that both the Qiangtang and Kekexili Nature Reserves actually increased the number of pastoralists and livestock in them since they were formally designated, further complicating efforts to protect the endangered Tibetan antelope and other wildlife species.
Chapter 7 is where, as Harris says, ‘. . . we finally get our boots muddy by digging into the conservation status of particular species in China's west.’ Here ‘stories’ are told on eight species (or groups of species): musk deer, Przewalski's gazelle, argali, Tibetan antelope (chiru), pikas and zokors, wild yaks and wild camels, large carnivores (wolves, dholes and brown bears), and finally three species that appear to be doing well in China's west (Tibetan gazelle, Tibetan wild ass and blue sheep). This is the chapter where the author's long experience in western China and his skills as a field biologist conducting research on many of these animals is readily apparent. Harris presents information and interesting anecdotes that could only be obtained by someone who has gotten his boots muddy numerous times. Having conducted research on wild yaks on the Tibetan Plateau, I take slight umbrage at Harris's assertion on p. 155 that ‘wild yaks - when it comes to confronting humans - are basically wimps,’ but that is a very minor snub to an otherwise excellent chapter.
These days, hunting, especially trophy hunting is often not seen as very politically correct. In Chapter 8, Harris notes that trophy hunting grabs a large amount of the financial and personnel resources made available for wildlife in western China and, therefore, argues that it is important to look at the issue objectively and dispassionately. Harris contends that the way China manages international hunting has meant that they have lost the opportunity to develop a functioning, locally operated and self-funding conservation system that could protect wildlife in certain areas. For it to happen, would mean giving more control to local people, Tibetan, Mongol and Kazak nomads, and changing the attitudes towards the nomads of most Han Chinese officials who control the trophy hunting programme.
Harris is a good scientist (prolific list of scientific papers in the References) and in Chapter 9 he precisely dissects the problems related to Chinese wildlife science. Harris adeptly concludes that too much of the wildlife research in China is centred on identifying simple differences among habitats, populations, groups or individuals instead of focused on revealing functional relationships. Furthermore, he goes on to posit that what Chinese scientists often lack is the ability to answer the question as to why differences exist and how patterns they do notice relate to ecological, evolutionary or wildlife management issues. Harris presents a clear case that good science is vital for wildlife conservation in western China and Chinese authorities and scientists would be wise to listen to his counsel.
In Chapter 10, Harris presents a good analysis of conservation policy suggestions and thoughtful prescriptions about future actions that could be taken to improve the conservation of wildlife and the environment. Dialogue on many fronts is essential to advance conservation in western China and Harris provides a well-researched basis of ideas to move forward.
Wildlife Conservation in China should be required reading for anyone interested in conservation of biodiversity and natural resource management in western China. The book should also appeal to those concerned about broader development issues in China. For that matter, anyone who thinks they are a ‘China Hand’ should find the book valuable.
Harris has done a spectacular job assembling data on wildlife and their habitats and in analysing the issues related to wildlife conservation. The material is suitably organized and accurate. He not only presents vast amounts of information on wildlife, but on the places where they are found and the cultural roots underlying many of the existing problems. Harris's arguments are precise and rational and his conclusions sound. In the process, he makes a significant and thought-provoking contribution to understanding of a little-known yet important part of the world.
The book is well designed with easily readable typeface and makes judicious use of maps, figures and tables, and is accompanied by 33 colour photographs of wildlife habitats and numerous species, including a remarkable photograph of a Tibetan brown bear. There is an Appendix listing animal and plant species mentioned in the text that could have been improved with Chinese names provided in pinyin for readers that do not read Chinese. An exhaustive notes section is provided from the numerous footnotes listed in each chapter that provides readers with much more detailed information. Numerous references in both English and Chinese are provided and the index is useful.
Wildlife Conservation in Western China offers a rich multidimensional analysis of biodiversity conservation issues and provides stimulating and thought-provoking arguments for changing the course of wildlife conservation efforts in China's Wild West. Harris should be commended for this ground-breaking work.
