Captured! Endangered Species Crowned Deer and Eurasian Otters Spotted in Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area

Currently, Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area in Sichuan is still temporarily closed to the public, except for inspection personnel. The area is rarely visited, and the quiet environment has become a paradise for wild animals, such as crowned deer and Eurasian otters roaming freely – footage captured by infrared cameras shows the crowned deer and Eurasian otters wandering around.

An infrared camera captured footage of a crowned deer foraging in the area.

Recently, the Jiuzhaigou Wild Animal Protection Department discovered multiple infrared cameras capturing footage of wild animals’ activities: On February 2nd, the same infrared camera, which is very close to the walking boardwalk, captured footage of a crowned deer foraging and grooming itself during the day and night. The crowned deer is a national grade II key protection animal and is listed in the IUCN 2015 Red List of Threatened Species.

Another footage of a crowned deer’s activity was captured by staff using a mobile phone, during which the crowned deer was hiding in the grass, licking its forelegs. It was a rare opportunity to capture a crowned deer so close up.

Another two infrared cameras captured footage of Eurasian otters' activities, one swimming in the water and the other marking its territory by defecating. The Eurasian otter is a national grade II key protection animal and is also listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it is a top predator in the Jiuzhaigou river and lake ecosystem and an important indicator of ecosystem health.

Footage of Eurasian otter's activities.