Instead of being addicted to smartphones and games, Zhang Yixuan prefers to spend his summer vacation walking in nature, meeting with little creatures like shrimps and crabs (蟹).

The 17-year-old boy went viral on Sina Weibo recently for his knowledge of biology, which led him to discover a new species of freshwater crabs of Sinolapotamon in 2022.

Zhang’s father, who was born in a rural area, loved catching fish and crabs himself at an early age, so Zhang was always taken outdoors by his parents to explore as much as possible and observe little creatures quietly without being interrupted. Now a grade 12 student at Yulin High School, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous regıon, Zhang has dozens of “living treasures” that he has collected from the outdoors, including insects, fish, shrimps and crabs.

“This one is a species of Nanhaipotamon that I caught in a mountainous area,” said Zhang, pointing to a bright-colored crab moving its amusing eyes around. “You can see it just shed its shell.” There is also a row of empty bottles and jars in Zhang’s room to store his specimens. “I can notice the small differences between two shrimps, and then I take them back to my room for further observation,” said Zhang.

It is the microscope his father bought him that makes the bedroom look more like a mini biology lab than anything else. It’s a place where Zhang can devote himself to identifying shrimps or observing crabs day and night. With the help of his microscope, Zhang concentrates on exploring the natural world. Sometimes he spends hours simply examining a piece of fish scale, the leg of a crab or the antenna of an insect. He often works so late that his parents have to force him to go to bed.

“I’m often amazed by what I see while placing these tiny and fragile things under the microscope. No matter how unimportant an insect is, each life is so delicately and uniquely organized,” said Zhang.

The Elephant Project is a purpose-driven company which tries to protect and recover the world’s elephant population.

This all-female organization began when founder Kristian McKean saw the inhumane(不人道的)treatment of elephants in Thailand, and again back in the United States with circus animals. Determined to find a way to support elephant causes, Kristina used her product development background to design adorable, huggable elephant dolls she named Kiki and Tembo.

Children and many adults are drawn to the stuffed animals. These elephants come with fun educational materials to spread the word about the dangerous world elephants live in.

Meanwhile, the company’s mission is clear and supported by its donations to organizations that care for elephants in need. In fact, 100% of the profit from each sail of Kiki and Tembo goes to supplies and aid for abused and injured elephants through The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya and The Elephant Nature Park in Thailand. The Elephant Project also contributes to efforts to end illegal elephant hunting.

Of course, even without the notable mission of the company, these little dolls are gift able to children. Kiki, whose name means “new life”, wears a little pink outfit(套装). Meanwhile, Tembo, meaning “elephant” in Swahili, wears a green outfit.

A new release features Baby Chaba, a baby elephant named after a real baby who was rescued alongside her mother by Lek Chailert, the founder of the The Elephant Nature Park, in August 2021.The purchase comes with Baby Chaba and a book that explains her story.

The Elephant Project website shows a list of elephants that have already benefited from the company, with a bit of history about each elephant’s situation and progress. The mission has now also spread to support g the rescue and rehabilitation (修复) of big cats who like elephants and other wildlife, suffer from n humane treatment, competition for resources and loss of habitat.

Throughout history, many species of animals have been threatened with extinction (灭绝). When Europeans

Yet not all animals with commercial value face this threat. The cow, for example, is a valuable source of food, but no one worries that the cow will soon be extinct. Why does the commercial value of ivory threaten the elephant while the commercial value of beef protects the cow?

【小题2】 . However, cows are private goods. Elephants wander freely without any owners. The hunter has a strong motivation to kill as many elephants as he can find. Illegal hunters are numerous. Each has only a slight motivation to preserve the elephant population. By contrast, cattle live on farms that are privately owned. 【小题3】 because he harvests the benefit of these efforts.

Governments have tried to solve the elephant’s problem in two ways. Some countries, such as Kenya and Uganda, have made it illegal to kill elephants and sell their ivory. 【小题4】 . And elephant populations have continued to decrease. By contrast, other countries, such as Malawi and Namibia, have made elephants private goods and allow people to kill elephants, but only those that belong to them.

【小题5】 with private ownership and the profit purpose now on its side. The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle pointed out the problem with common resources, “What is common to many is taken least care of, for all men have greater regard for what is their own than for what they possess in common with others.”