Chapter 744: Lively Little Pallas's Cats

Time flew by, and before anyone knew it, June had arrived.

It had been three months since Yun Duo and Zhuang Zhuang mated, and Yun Duo was showing signs of pregnancy. However, it was hard to tell if it was a real pregnancy or a pseudo-pregnancy because the hormonal changes, reduced activity, and eating habits were the same in both cases.

Panda cubs, when first born, weigh only a few hundred grams, which is about one-thousandth to two-thousandths of the mother's weight, resembling tiny mice. Judging by the size of her belly alone was not reliable.

Even the pandas themselves might be clueless, not knowing if they were actually pregnant.

If Yun Duo was truly pregnant, it would become clear by July or August.

During this period, the previously delayed introduction of new animals due to the pandemic started to move forward again.

The zoo planned to introduce fennec foxes. Since the Giant Beast Area already housed African animals like hippos and giraffes, the fennec foxes would be placed nearby, along with a new batch of meerkats and warthogs, creating an African theme.

After a visit from representatives of Australian zoos and related institutions, the application for Linhai Zoo to house koalas was approved.

Additionally, kangaroos were also part of the plan, and the zoo was bustling with the construction of various new exhibits.

At the moment, Fang Ye was at the Pallas's Cat exhibit, monitoring the activity of the young Pallas's cats through surveillance cameras.

Sun Yuanxiao had given birth to four kittens, bringing immense joy!

The kittens had started nibbling on meat.

To prevent the kittens from contracting toxoplasmosis, Fang Ye took strict measures to inspect their food and secretly administered a protective potion.

The little ones, plump and chubby, had an adorable "scar" on their foreheads.

Usually, they huddled in Sun Yuanxiao's warm embrace, nursing and sleeping soundly. Recently, as they grew older and had been taken out for health checks by the vet, they became more curious about the outside world.

Taking advantage of Sun Yuanxiao's absence, one kitten stealthily crawled out of the breeding box for the first time.

Sun Yuanxiao had just stepped out for some fresh air.

Hearing the commotion behind her, her eyes widened in surprise!

She quickly ran back, blocking the kitten at the entrance, preventing it from coming out.

Seeing the kitten mischievously trying to sneak out, she kept a vigilant eye on her surroundings while gently nudging the kitten back with her head.

Satisfied that the kitten had returned, she took a few steps outside, then turned back to check, as if reminding, "Mommy's going out, you stay inside and be good, okay?"

With a light leap, she jumped onto a nearby perch, lying down and peeking to see if the kittens were behaving in her absence.

It was like someone with OCD repeatedly checking if they had their keys or if the door was locked when leaving the house!

Pallas's cats are sensitive animals, and it's normal for them to feel insecure in a captive environment.

After a while, all four kittens crawled to the entrance, their little heads peering out together.

They pushed and shoved each other, eager to explore.

But being crowded together, they couldn't get out!

Seeing this, Sun Yuanxiao must have felt exasperated. Could you all just give me a break?

She tried to nudge them back with her head but ended up carrying one back inside.

Come back here, you!

She stood guard at the entrance, pushing back any kitten that tried to sneak out, engaging in a long tug-of-war with them.

Watching this through the surveillance, Fang Ye couldn't help but laugh.

Being a mom is tough!

He gave some instructions to the keepers and then had Lei Zhi drive a van to Xinghe University.

At the university gate, Wang Yan and his students had been waiting for a while.

Seeing Fang Ye, Wang Yan waved, "Director Fang! Thank you for coming."

Fang Ye smiled, "It's no trouble. I'm quite interested in this too!"

Recently, several communities had reported news about raccoon dogs, with some media outlets using exaggerated headlines like "Raccoon Dog Battles Humans" and "Raccoon Dog Attacks People" or "Wild Raccoon Dogs Overrun City."

Wang Yan, who had recently moved to Linhai, had noticed raccoon dogs while observing wildlife.

He compared them to raccoons, which are also highly adaptable and intelligent animals.

He predicted that raccoon dogs might undergo significant changes in the next 5-10 years, potentially increasing in number and coming into conflict with humans.

Unexpectedly, the conflict had erupted not years later but this year.

Residents had called the zoo for help, saying their community was overrun with raccoon dogs. At night, they could hear them growling and snarling like stray dogs, with deep, long warning calls and the sounds of fighting, which were quite unsettling.

It seemed the raccoon dogs were fighting for territory, splitting into two groups and battling fiercely in the middle of the community.

Many raccoon dogs roamed freely on the community paths, unafraid of people. Even shining a flashlight at them didn't scare them away, and some even approached humans, seemingly begging for food.

Residents, who usually took evening walks, were now too scared to go out.

Fang Ye, Wang Yan, and his students planned to investigate, set up infrared cameras, and interview residents to understand why the raccoon dogs were clashing with humans, the severity of the conflict, and how to resolve it.

Fang Ye helped load the infrared cameras, cages, and GPS trackers into the car and chatted with Wang Yan.

"Why did the raccoon dog population suddenly explode this year?"

Wang Yan speculated, "I think there are several reasons. First, the warm winter allowed more raccoon dogs to survive the winter."

Fang Ye nodded in agreement!

In previous years, it would start cooling down in October, but last year, the temperatures fluctuated wildly. In November, wearing a thick coat still made you sweat, and there were even mosquitoes biting people.

The osmanthus trees in the zoo were confused by the weather, blooming briefly after shedding their flowers.

It only truly cooled down in December, but then spring arrived quickly.

Wang Yan continued, "Also, during the breeding season, the pandemic left the streets empty, allowing raccoon dogs to roam the city freely without avoiding cars and people.

After the pups were born, the city was still empty. In their most crucial developmental stage, they didn't gain the experience of coexisting with humans like their parents did, so they roamed the city without fear or caution.

After the pandemic, the 'National Key Protected Wildlife List' was revised, which was a significant event, finally giving many animals the attention they deserved. (On Earth, the list updates even slower, having only been revised twice in thirty years.)

Wolves and red foxes were upgraded to second-class protected animals, and raccoon dogs are now also second-class protected.

People learned that harming or killing raccoon dogs could land them in jail, so they didn't dare harm them, making the raccoon dogs bolder."