PFC Chapter 168 Wildlife Conservationist Certification
Chapter 168 Wildlife Conservationist Certification
As the first light of dawn appeared in the east, the sky gradually brightened.
Li Xiangyang and Anna woke up one after the other.
After quickly tidying up the campsite and having a meal, the three decided to set off to search for the Siberian tiger's tracks.
“Let’s go check out where that wild boar was last night,” Li Xiangyang said as they walked.
Wang Ergou and Anna naturally had no objection to this suggestion.
The group walked back along the route they had taken the night before.
A series of clear footprints were left on the snow.
The black cat led the way, stopping every now and then to sniff around.
Little Tiger and Nightshade also pricked up their ears from time to time, vigilantly observing their surroundings.
"Wait." Li Xiangyang suddenly stopped and squatted down to examine the ground carefully.
Anna and Wang Ergou also came over.
There was a series of huge tiger paw prints on the snow.
“It really did come,” Anna said in a low voice, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
She took out a measuring tape and measured the size of the footprints.
"The footprint is 14 centimeters long and 11 centimeters wide." She measured and recorded the measurements in her notebook. "Judging from the size, it should be an adult male tiger. Finding it will be of great help to my research."
After Anna finished speaking, the group followed the trail and continued deeper into the area.
When the group arrived at the spot where they had hunted the wild boar the night before, the tracks on the snow became increasingly chaotic.
Besides the footprints, there were also drag marks, and several pieces of bloody flesh were scattered on the ground.
"Look, these marks are clearly not from just one tiger; it seems two tigers saw them last night."
After carefully observing the traces on the ground, Li Xiangyang made a judgment.
No sooner had he finished speaking than a deafening tiger's roar suddenly came from the right front.
Immediately afterwards, the bushes on the left shook, followed by another, deeper roar.
"Quick, take cover!"
They found the person in question so easily, and while they were excited, they quickly hid behind a big tree.
Xuanmao and Xiaohu huddled close to Li Xiangyang's feet, while Yeying lay motionless on the ground.
Through the gaps in the tree trunks, they saw two enormous Siberian tigers facing off.
One of them was clearly older, with several obvious scars on its tiger skin; the other, although slightly smaller, was muscular and appeared more agile.
“The larger one is probably the owner of this territory,” Anna whispered, her camera already clicking. “The other one may have migrated from a neighboring area.”
"Yes, you see, although they're both barking fiercely, their tails are lying flat, not fully erect. This shows they don't want to get into a conflict with each other."
After a long standoff, the younger tigers became impatient and launched a probing attack.
This struggle came quickly and went quickly.
After a few low growls, the young tiger, seeing that its opponent was of equal strength, took the initiative to back down and disappeared into the bushes.
"It admitted defeat?" Wang Ergou was somewhat incredulous.
“No,” Li Xiangyang shook his head, “it’s just because the mountains are vast and the forests are dense, the mating season is over, and there’s plenty of prey. There’s no need to fight to the death.”
As they were talking, the older tiger also left.
After the tiger left, the group remained hidden behind the tree and did not make any rash moves.
Li Xiangyang gestured for everyone to wait a little longer, until Xuanmao and Yeying relaxed their guard, before he led the way out from behind the tree.
“This is amazing!” Anna exclaimed excitedly, flipping through the photos on her camera. “The footage we captured is incredibly valuable for my research. Judging from their confrontational behavior, this is the boundary of their territories.”
"Ms. Anna, we've found the tiger for you and taken photos. Shouldn't you go back now?"
Wang Ergou said somewhat impatiently.
Li Xiangyang also felt it was about time to head home.
After all, every minute spent in such a dangerous place increases the risk.
“No, that’s not enough,” Anna shook her head. “I need more data. For example, their activity patterns, foraging habits, and interactions with other wild animals. This is crucial for protecting the Siberian tiger’s habitat and the entire ecosystem.”
"How long are we going to follow them?" Wang Ergou asked anxiously. "And you should give me a straight answer: if the tiger pounces, should we fight it or not? How should we fight it...?"
“Mr. Wang, I apologize, I know this request is a bit excessive. But I'm here for research, not to hunt them. I absolutely cannot harm them unless absolutely necessary.”
“If you’re willing to continue taking me on in-depth investigations, I can pay you extra. Not only money, but I can also help you apply for wildlife conservationist certifications.”
Anna's words caught Li Xiangyang's eye. What he was interested in was not the extra pay, but the wildlife conservationist's certificate!
Although this certificate is not very useful now, it will be very useful in the future.
As times change, hunters will inevitably fade from the historical stage.
Unless you go all the way to Africa...
Of course, Li Xiangyang wouldn't voice these thoughts; he simply asked tentatively, "Could you elaborate on the purpose of the document?"
“Yes, that’s fine. This certificate signifies that you are wildlife conservationists, primarily responsible for monitoring and protecting wildlife resources,” Anna explained. “Certificate holders not only have access to protected areas but are also legally allowed to carry hunting rifles.”
These words were exactly what Li Xiangyang wanted to hear.
“Besides that, there’s a subsidy for each investigation,” Anna continued. “If you can help me complete this mission, you’ll get five hundred dollars each; if you find the tiger’s den, you’ll get another five hundred.”
When Wang Ergou heard the number, his eyes widened.
Of course, he didn't know that the other party was talking about Dao Le, whose value would double again after the exchange.
Although he was very interested, Li Xiangyang didn't agree immediately. Instead, he said, "Let's discuss it."
The two walked to the side.
Li Xiangyang lowered his voice and said, "This job is indeed dangerous, but it's not entirely without chance. The key is to know when to quit while you're ahead."
So you mean...?
“Money isn’t important, getting the documents is the best thing; you’ll see how useful they are in the future. But you need to be realistic about your capabilities, and retreat immediately if things go wrong,” Li Xiangyang said, explaining his thoughts. “The snow is so thick now, it’s easy to find.”
Wang Ergou thought for a moment, then nodded: "Okay, let's give it a try. Anyway, with you here, I feel at ease."
After they reached an agreement, Li Xiangyang turned to Anna and said, "We agree, but on one condition."
"What conditions?"
"If we determine the situation is too dangerous, you must immediately follow our orders and retreat unconditionally."
Anna nodded without hesitation: "Of course, these are basic guidelines for field research."
And so, the three began their pursuit of the Siberian tiger.
This time, they didn't follow the older one, but chose the younger one instead.
Because young tigers are new to this area, their range of activity is larger, making them easier to track.