Animals get a second chance at life

In December 2023, the cat entered a farmer's chicken coop and killed dozens of chickens, and was nearly beaten to death. On realizing that it was the protected Chinese desert cat, the farmer soon called the police and the injured creature was sent to the station.

"The cat had suffered internal injuries, so our treatment focused on reducing inflammation and providing nutrition," Ma said.

To aid its recovery, the team built an enclosed, quiet space to minimize disturbances.

The cat showed a strong desire to survive, Ma said, adding that "it refused to eat the beef or mutton we fed and only ate live prey with fur. It ate almost all the rabbits and chickens we had!"

Two months later, the cat fully recovered and was successfully released back into the wild. Follow-up monitoring showed that it remained active near human-inhabited areas, no longer breaking into farms, which was a sign that it had fully adapted to its natural environment, Ma said.

"That was a fine example of successful rewilding," he said.

When it comes to the degree of human intervention in rescued animals, Ma explained that wildlife rescue must follow a phased approach.

"In the early stage, our top priority is to keep them alive, which requires professional treatment and meticulous care," he said.

"Taking care of them is just like raising a child, and sometimes we have to feed them milk at night. Only after a period of precious care can they survive. They rely on human help 24 hours a day."