With summer firmly in gear， life is our focus here at The World of Chinese. Wildlife in China is abundant， dynamic and delicate， encompassing everything from the tigers of South and North China to the ants of Sichuan. But， even as this country teems with life， stories of cruelty， marginalization and extinction abound as the varied wildlife of China attempt to eke out a meager existence away from the destructive human race. However， attitudes are changing and the world along with it as brave conservationists and concerned volunteers educate the world on the importance of the Middle Kingdom’s ecological diversity and fragility.
　　Terence Hsieh attempts to illustrate this optimism in his “Where the Wild Things Are” （see page 26）， trekking trails with ambitious scientists looking for new species in nature reserves in Ningxia. He also brings to life the stories of valiant scientists braving the elements to find everything from new bugs to old goats. Sometimes technology gets the job done； other times a spot of good ol’ fashioned elbow grease is needed. These fearless naturalists are the academics and adventurers that keep their steady eyes trained on new creatures that have managed to survive and avoid China’s development.
　　We get to the heart of the elephant invasion in the southernmost areas of China’s Yunnan Province， with Ginger Huang’s “Elephants and Man in the Land of Rubber” （see page 42） which took her all the way to Xishuangbanna. Everyone loves elephants， the beautiful and majestic mammalian colossi that they are， but thousands of years of encroaching farmers have put these wonders in a difficult situation； rubber trees have ruined their homes， so they’re rampaging into villages to eat the crops. Rather than hunting them to extinction， the farmers， authorities and conservationists are all looking for a peaceful answer.
　　Lee Maxwell Simpson and Alicia Zhang found an excuse to stay in the city by taking a look at the capital’s birds of prey （see page 34）. As it turns out， the seemingly dreary city of Beijing hosts an array of predatory birds. These raptors， however， face severe challenges in navigating and surviving the urban sprawl that is megalopolis Beijing. That’s where the kind folks at the Beijing Raptor Rescue Center （and more than a few upright civilians） are willing to lend a hand.
　　Though China is known as the land of dragons， the situation for the country’s largest reptiles looks pretty bleak. “Here be Dragons” （see page 48） looks at how the country’s five biggest reptilian monsters are some of the most fascinating and unlucky creatures in China. From Chinese alligators to snakes as big as a Shanghai apartment， the biology of these cold-blooded monsters is mesmerizing. However， poor protection and dwindling habitats have put many of these lovable dragons on the path to extinction.
　　There are a few other animal stories peppered throughout， including the character for “beast” for “On the Character” （see page 88）； we also had a sit down with a woman who is using her time and money to save South China tigers from extinction in “Tigers Study Abroad” （see page 90）. “Street Talk” （see page 13） looks at animal idioms and “Made in China” （see page 19） got a visit from China’s mythical monster master， Bai Ze （白泽）.
　　This issue was certainly a hoot for us， here at TWOC， but it also went down a few dark paths. There’s no denying that the outlook for wildlife in China and the modern world is grim， to say the least. With this in mind， it’s important to recognize that the status quo just won’t do. So， pick up your pen， shovel， wallet or whatever your weapon of choice； there’s a lot of work to do.