animals

The Dugong, Mammal of Mermaid Lore, Returns to China’s Waters

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Just two years after being declared extinct, the dugong has been sighted again in the South China Sea, a sign of progress in ecological restoration.

Li Xin

China’s Latest Conservation Weapon Is a Robot Antelope

Researchers hope that the furry, remote-controlled quadruped will help them collect first-hand data about migration routes and birthing behaviors of Tibetan antelope on the remote Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.

Chen Yiru

How China’s Urban Youth Became Obsessed With Birding

Driven by social media, more and more urbanites are taking up birdwatching, helping to increase ecological awareness and molding photography trends to their aesthetic preferences in the process.

Chen Zhenyang

Fan Yiying

China’s Illegal Hunting Livestreams Disguised as ‘Outdoor Sports’

Police in northeastern China have uncovered a black market involving livestreamers killing wildlife — including some protected species — to sell hunting gear.

The Art of Reviving an Abandoned Chinese Village — With Stray Cats

Back in the village he once left behind, an artist turned abandoned homes into a sanctuary for more than 200 cats — and watched it become a magnet for strays, artists, and thousands of tourists.

He Qitong

China’s New Bet to Spur Urban Spending: Pet-Friendly Buses

To invigorate pet-related markets, some Chinese cities have launched animal-friendly public transportation services — but their economic viability remains unclear.

He Poisoned Cats in College. Now He Can’t Join China’s Civil Service.

Authorities disqualified the top candidate for a government position in China’s southern Guilin City after netizens uncovered his role in a spate of cat poisonings as a university student.

Pet Degree: A Top Chinese School Debuts a Companion Animal Major

With an estimated 100 million-plus pet owners in the country, higher education institutions are beginning to realize the potential in pet-related courses.

Chongqing Hotel Under Fire for Using Red Pandas in Wake-Up Calls

Prior to the controversy, rooms for the hotel were fully booked, raising questions about the welfare of China’s endangered animals and their use as entertainment.

Shell Game: In China, a $14K Reward for a Turtle That May Be Extinct

The campaign drew hundreds of photos from the public — blurry shots, lookalike species, even copies pulled from the internet. None showed the real thing.

Let it Go? China Curbs Ritual Releases of Sick, Invasive Wildlife

New rules aim to enhance ecological protection by curbing the undocumented release of wildlife — a common religious practice in some parts of the country.

Why Chinese Fans Are Hiring Detectives for a Dead Kenyan Lion

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

When their favorite wild lion was killed, a tight-knit group of Chinese fans half a world away launched a global campaign for justice — via billboards in New York to private investigators in Kenya.

Jiang Xinyi

Feline Feeling: Reflecting on a Life Marked by Cats

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

In a new book, a Chinese academic looks back on how her furry friends helped in good times and bad.

Sun Dong

China’s High-Speed Trains Make Room for Cats and Dogs — Sort Of

For years, pet owners asked to bring animals on high-speed trains. Now, China’s high-speed network is giving it a careful try.

Wu Yufei

Unpaid Staff, a Runaway Bear, and a Baby Orangutan in Sunglasses

Two recent viral incidents have sparked a broader debate in China over animal care, safety lapses, and wildlife as entertainment.

Cat Clause: Pet ‘Loan’ Disputes Spread in China

Nationwide complaints about cat “adoption” businesses are exposing the darker side of China’s booming pet industry.

Ding Rui

Learning to Fly: How a Jurassic Fossil Decodes the History of Flight

Your questions, answered. In-depth interviews with the minds and makers shaping today’s China.

Q & A

Paleontologist Wang Min on the luck, science, and persistence behind a groundbreaking find.

China Counts Over 1,000 Snow Leopards in Largest Ever Survey

The survey highlights the significance of Qinghai province’s Sanjiangyuan region for snow leopard conservation and underscores growing climate change concerns.

New Fossil in China Pushes Bird Origins Back 20 Million Years

The fossil, dating back 172 million years, may reshape our understanding of bird evolution and early flight.

The Fish That Spun, Flipped, and Laid Eggs Aboard China’s Space Station

Four zebrafish spent 43 days in orbit aboard the Tiangong space station, breaking records and advancing space biology. In 2025, China will send more.