After more than a month of careful preparation, on June 26, a volunteer team formed by local Minnan entrepreneurs from Quanzhou, participants of Xiamen University’s Ivy Executive MBA program, documentary directors, and media reporters passionate about public welfare officially gathered in Golmud and headed to the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve. They will embark on a roughly 10-day hiking trek and cultural-scientific expedition.
The team will begin crossing the Hoh Xil region of Qinghai Province on June 27, conducting a series of cultural and scientific research projects along the way. According to interviews with journalists, the volunteer team set off from the Sonam Dargye Protection Station of the Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve. Along the route, they will visit various protection stations, participate in volunteer activities, pay tribute to environmental defenders who sacrificed their lives for the reserve and the families of martyrs, donate relevant supplies and equipment to the brave guardians at the protection stations who work under harsh conditions and fight heroically against poachers, and carry out scientific investigations into the unique human and ecological environment of the Hoh Xil area. The average altitude during this crossing is over 4,600 meters. While challenging their physical limits, the team will focus on examining the current state of environmental and wildlife conservation in the region and explore related issues in economics, law, natural sciences, and more.
June and July are the peak seasons for the large-scale migration of Tibetan antelopes, and the spectacle and rarity of the scene go without saying. However, because the pelts of these animals are rare and precious, they have attracted deadly threats. In the last century, before China had enacted relevant laws and regulations, poachers had free rein, pushing the already scarce Tibetan antelope population to the brink of extinction.
To protect these precious animals, represented by the martyr Gesang Sonam Dargye, over the decades there has been a group of fearless warriors who have braved both environmental hardships and the threats of poachers. With great enthusiasm, they have devoted their youth and shed blood and tears on this pristine land.
Before setting off, the team members expressed gratitude to Leo Outdoor for providing volunteers the opportunity to “venture deep into Hoh Xil and participate in environmental education.” They pledged to complete the related tribute activities and scientific research missions and to share their experiences and insights with more people. Wu Keping, the representative of this volunteer activity, sincerely encouraged his companions, hoping that through the observations, news reports, and photographic displays brought back by the team, a true and vivid picture of the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve and the difficult living conditions of the Tibetan antelopes would be revealed to the world. This would draw attention from all sectors of society and even the globe to the protection of Tibetan antelopes and call for opposition to the poaching of Tibetan antelopes and the production of clothing and accessories from their fur.
To ensure the safety of the team members participating in this volunteer activity and the smooth implementation of the activity plan, based on the actual conditions of the Beautiful Hoh Xil Tibetan Antelope Protection project site, Leo Outdoor specially invited a professional team of consultants and coaches to organize outdoor training courses and a series of adaptive exercises for the team members. At the same time, Leo Outdoor provided a targeted equipment solution based on the climate and road conditions along the route, ensuring participants’ comfort and allowing them to better connect with nature, experiencing the perfect harmony between body and the wild. This included equipment such as 50L backpacks, two-piece waterproof jackets, elastic quick-dry pants, hiking shoes, outdoor glasses, headscarves, hats, vests, and water bottles.
It is worth mentioning that the Hoh Xil Public Welfare and Environmental Protection Base was also officially established at the departure site. It will serve as a platform for recruiting environmental enthusiasts from all walks of life. Especially in today’s world, where resources are scarce and ecological destruction is severe, environmental issues are increasingly drawing public attention. Hoh Xil is rich in rare wildlife resources and can be called an animal paradise and a pure land on Earth. Its ecological importance has garnered attention from enterprises and society. This platform will gather strong appeal to encourage more people to join us in contributing to the protection of the last pure land in the uninhabited regions.
“Being able to participate in the activity to protect Tibetan antelopes in Hoh Xil and jointly focus on and protect domestic wildlife and the ecological environment is a very meaningful endeavor for Leo Outdoor. As a well-known brand in the outdoor industry, Leo Outdoor has always hoped to fulfill its corporate social responsibility and realize its brand’s social value through its own actions. Leo Outdoor calls on everyone to care for wildlife and protect the ecological environment while engaging in outdoor sports, spreading a positive outdoor culture,” explained Xu Rongsheng, Chairman of Leo Outdoor Products Co., Ltd., on the significance of the activity.