Birds' guardian in Caohai(1/10)

Zang Erjun, 59, is a ranger in Caohai National Nature Reserve in Weining county, southwest China's Guizhou province. Caohai wetland is the major habitat of China's first class protected animal black-necked cranes. It is also among the list that has most abundant bird resources in China.

Having worked here since 1997, Zang Erjun almost never left Caohai. He gets up at 6 a.m. every day, records the situation of birds, feeds them and removes the illegal fishing nets. In 18 years, no bird hunting happened and no birds died in this reserve under the protection of Zang Erjun.

Zang Erjun made 80 yuan every month from 1997 to 2009; now his monthly salary is 300 yuan. He insists on working as a ranger. He said he does the job not for pay, but to protect black-necked cranes with love in his heart. (Photo: Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)