After completing its scientific research mission, Steve released the newly captured five-step snake back into the forest. The place where the snake was released was very close to where it was caught.
"Be careful when you release the snake so you don't get bit by it."
Steve also told Feng Yi and the others about an incident in which he was almost bitten when releasing a snake.
"People get bitten when releasing snakes every year. You have to be careful regardless of whether they are poisonous or not. I won't talk about poisonous snakes, but non-poisonous snakes, such as the Elaphe, are larger in size. If you are not careful, a bite from them can scrape off a piece of your flesh!"
In addition to measuring the snakes' vital signs and various data, they also had to measure water temperature and water quality. They took water samples from ditches and streams where they found Bungarus serpentinae and Acutus serpentinae, and also took soil samples.
Along the way, regardless of whether snakes were found or not, samples were taken from many places. Where reptiles were found, samples were taken in particular.
"There used to be a lot of tourists coming here. There are hotels on the edge of the reserve. People come here to escape the heat in the summer, and go into the forest to enjoy the scenery in other seasons." Professor Zhou said, looking at the map in his hand.
Professor Zhou has read historical materials and is familiar with the Nanchong Nature Reserve.
"But most of the Nanchong Nature Reserve is uninhabited. Even before, only a small part was open to tourists. Even if it was open, tourists would not dare to come in. There were more snakes here before the abnormal climate period."
Many snakes in the mountains and forests are good at hiding and lurking, and they are natural hunting machines.
Professor Zhou has emphasized many times that it takes a lot of patience to find snakes during scientific expeditions. As time went by, the people in the team really felt the anxiety of not finding the target.
After entering the mountains, you not only have to face the anxiety of not being able to find your target, but you also have to face the power of nature.
The complex terrain and mountain climate often cause different climate changes in this area.
The disorderly wind blowing through the mountains can suddenly blow a person's hat off.
The unpredictable weather is so unpredictable that even the forest rangers with decades of experience in the reserve cannot predict it.
When walking in the mountains and forests, you may have to experience heavy rain and scorching heat in just a few hours.
Sometimes you think there is a piece of insignificant water vapor, but it sinks down and forms raindrops. Sometimes you think it is going to rain, but it quickly disperses and the heat comes.
Nature is indeed magical.
After experiencing this magic, Feng Yi discovered that he was becoming more and more sensitive to the changes in water vapor.
It took two weeks from being completely confused at the beginning to being able to sense the changes and make relatively correct predictions.
After two weeks of exposure to wind, sun and rain, with no time or conditions for care, everyone became several shades darker, except Feng Yi.
Some people are not only handsome, but they also never get tanned!
Don’t you think it’s infuriating? !
Cheng Si touched his face.
After two weeks in the mountains, my face has become noticeably rougher.
As someone who is often active in front of the camera, even though he is an outdoor broadcaster, if he wants to attract more female fans, he still has to pay attention to protecting his face. Even if he doesn't look outstanding, at least he doesn't look ugly. With a suitable hairstyle and personal charm, he can still attract many female fans.
If everyone in the team is like this, it doesn't matter. After all, he was mentally prepared when he decided to join the scientific expedition. It will definitely be harder than his usual outdoor live broadcasts. He is ready to sacrifice his face and repair it after the expedition is over.
but!
Cheng Si looked at Feng Yi beside him.
He is still the same as when he entered the mountain... Oh no, to be exact, Feng Yi is in better condition now than when he first entered the mountain. He looks radiant and full of energy!
Not affected at all by the hot and humid environment!
Judging from his appearance alone, Feng Yi does look like one of those pretty boy celebrities that are very popular in the entertainment industry.
but!
Who in the team still thinks he is a weakling
This guy is more efficient at catching snakes than Steve!
While Steve was looking at the bamboo pit viper basking in the sun on the rock, Feng Yi had already caught another bamboo pit viper sleeping on a winding tree!
It was not until Feng Yi caught the snake that everyone discovered there was a green pit viper hiding in the tree.
Compared with Feng Yi, Cheng Si felt like a blind man.
This guy not only has good eyesight, but also eats a lot and has great strength!
Every time he arrived at a supply point, Feng Yi stuffed his bag with compressed biscuits. At first, everyone was worried that he would waste them, and that putting too much would increase the weight and delay the trip.
But it didn’t!
He walks faster than anyone else with a big bag of compressed biscuits on his back!
"Aren't you sweating?" Cheng Si wiped the sweat from his face and looked at Feng Yi with confusion in his eyes.
He was only carrying the little equipment he had, and sweat was pouring down his face. The hot and humid air in the forest was really uncomfortable.
But Feng Yi, who was standing next to him, was carrying a big bag and had only a thin layer of sweat on his face. He didn't look as miserable as him at all.
"I sweat, but not much. It's because of different physiques." Feng Yi's expression was natural, as if he was talking about something extremely ordinary.
In fact, he was not at peace either.
If he hadn't followed the scientific expedition team into the mountains, he wouldn't have known that his physique had changed so much! Not only did he become stronger and had some strange conditioned reflexes, he also sweated less and didn't get tanned easily.
I remember the military training when I first entered university. It didn’t take long for me to go from a “pale-faced scholar” to a “bronze-faced handsome guy”.
However, after following the scientific expedition team into the mountains for two weeks, sometimes the team went to collect samples under the scorching sun, and Feng Yi would also help, so he was definitely exposed to the sun a lot. He did get a little darker, but not noticeably so.
"Everyone's physique is different. But, Feng Yi, if you keep sweating less, you still have to pay attention. You must speak up if you feel any discomfort."
Professor Zhou looked at him worriedly. "Also, if you really can't get tanned no matter how much you sunbathe, then you have to be careful. Maybe you have less melanin in your body and are less resistant to the sun's ultraviolet rays. In this case, too much sunbathing can easily cause problems. When we take the samples later, you should rest in the shade of the tree and wear a hat."
They all wear hats when they go into the mountains, which can block the sun and also serve as a line of defense. Otherwise, what if an insect or snake pops out of a tree and attacks their forehead while they are walking in the woods
After a while.
When Professor Zhou and his team went to collect samples, Feng Yi found another bamboo green snake sleeping on a tree. This one was a little bigger than the two they found before.
"There are quite a lot of bamboo pit vipers here." Teacher Lei walked over with a camera and said.
It was not known whether the green snake was stretching its mouth muscles or yawning. Feng Yi just assumed that it was yawning. The two large teeth moved back and forth independently and not in unison.
Feng Yi waited until it finished yawning before taking it down from the tree.
"Another Bamboo Leaf Green Snake?" Cheng Si was a little disappointed. "Is there really no python in this area?"
To be honest, Cheng Si doesn't like these poisonous snakes, especially those that are extremely hidden, difficult to find, but extremely poisonous.
However, many people are interested in giant pythons. For example, many people in the zoo who are usually afraid of snakes will definitely run to the giant pythons if they go to see reptiles. When they see those pythons that are heavier than adults, they will look at them with fear and curiosity.
Professor Zhou, who had just returned from sampling, heard Cheng Si's words, took a look at the signal distribution map that the base had just sent him, and replied: "There are indeed no pythons with chips released. As for native pythons, you have to look carefully. Whether you can find them depends on luck.
"There must have been some in this reserve a long time ago. Thirty or forty years ago, there were frequent reports in the news. They also went to the cities, towns and villages near the Nanchong Reserve. Basically, when they were caught, they were released here."
Cheng Si was curious: "I have only seen small pythons in the wild, and I don't have a deep impression of them. The big pythons in the zoo are quite docile. Are the big pythons in the wild more ferocious?"
Professor Zhou laughed and said: "The pythons raised in the zoo are basically fed with small animals that have already been killed, such as mice and chickens, which are killed and fed to their mouths.
"If they were alive, they would probably flutter around a lot, they would get agitated, they would become aggressive, and that would be dangerous to the staff.
"So it is impossible to release those big pythons in many zoos back into the wild. If they are released, they will die. First, they are already very large and it is difficult for them to find a safe place to live. Second, their competitiveness in the wild has weakened and they have become accustomed to being fed. The living environment is too clean and comfortable. Some of them even have people watching them from beginning to end while they shed their skin. If they were to be in the wild, they would not be able to adapt.
"For some animals that the project team actually decides to release, they are fed differently from a young age and given a different growth environment. When the time is right to release them into the wild, their survival rate will be higher.
"Take snakes for example. People who really know snakes will find that there is a clear difference in the aura and eyes between wild snakes and those raised in captivity."
Steve has a deep understanding of this. "Snakes don't have rich expressions like cats and dogs. To many people, their eyes are cold and no different. But if I really encounter one, I can feel the difference from them. Some pet snakes are more obvious. Gentle snakes will show closeness to people, and will not be too scared if people don't get close. Wild snakes are more vigilant and have higher survival wisdom. There is a clear difference between pets and wild animals."
Feng Yi suddenly asked: "So, animality is also a natural instinct that is beneficial to survival?"
Professor Zhou smiled and continued, "Of course. Let's not talk about animal nature in philosophy, but only the survival wisdom inherited from genes. Animal nature is explained as the nature of wild animals, which is a kind of survival wisdom for them. For example, hunters hide their scent, and migratory birds migrate, which can be regarded as a kind of animal nature. If migratory birds are kept in captivity for a long time, they will form habits and forget to migrate. Once the people who keep them leave them alone, whether they can survive or not is up to fate.
"Therefore, some of the snakes that were confiscated for illegal breeding cannot be released. They are either observed and trained for a period of time, or sent directly to zoos or other centralized breeding places."
Feng Yi asked again: "What if the animal nature is in humans?"
Professor Zhou shook his head. "That's the realm of philosophy, not within the scope of my expertise."
Feng Yi: “…”
Okay, I'll figure it out myself!
Strong people all understand life on their own!
Maybe you will have an epiphany someday!
Please give some strength to your brain!