Passion for butterflies prompts life-changing decision

URUMQI — Huang Yahui, 40, has been fascinated by nature since childhood, a passion she developed in her 20s by engaging in adventurous outdoor activities.

Then in 2011, she chanced upon a life-changing opportunity to volunteer with a research team led by Ma Ming, a professor at the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Huang spent several months engaging in fieldwork alongside the team, immersing herself in bird observation and conservation efforts, and deepening her interest in environmental preservation.

That brief experience helped shape her future career.

"When the fragile golden eagle, raised under our care, spread its wings and soared into the sky, I felt a deep sense of responsibility to protect the ecological environment of my hometown and dedicate myself to preserving biodiversity," recalled Huang, a native of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

She is now a full-time wildlife conservationist and cofounder of a nature conservation and science popularization center in Saybag district in the regional capital Urumqi. The center is dedicated to heightening environmental awareness and conservation efforts.