Protecting the Real Shen Xiaobao: Does It Start with Farming? | Food Talk Vol. 47
In the 2025 Spring Festival release *Ne Zha 2*, the leopard demon Shen Xiaobao won over audiences with his witty and endearing portrayal.
Yet, his grievous injuries and uncertain fate in the film bring to mind the endangered North China leopard (*Panthera pardus japonensis*) of the real world. This subspecies, endemic to China, faces severe survival threats, including habitat fragmentation, poaching, and a declining prey base.
To safeguard the North China leopard, the Feline Conservation Federation (FCF) – an organisation dedicated to protecting China’s wild felines – has been working in the rural communities of Heshun County, Shanxi Province, for a decade. Over the past couple of years, the FCF team has launched the ‘Leopard Village Fields’ initiative. By eschewing chemical fertilisers and pesticides, avoiding plastic mulch, and establishing ecological agriculture within the village, they are pioneering a novel approach to conservation.
Last year, colleagues at Foodthink sampled waxy corn, roasted naked oats, and various coarse grains produced by the Leopard Village Fields. In this episode of *Food Talk*, we are joined by Hannah, project lead for the Leopard Village Fields, to explore the connection between leopard conservation and farming. How does ecological agriculture safeguard the leopard’s habitat while fostering coexistence with local communities?
As Hannah shares their story, we uncover how a single field of corn has become an unexpected bridge connecting leopard populations, local villagers, and urban dwellers. From a case of mistaken identity involving villagers ‘stealing’ corn, to wild boars and roe deer sharing the farmland, and further to providing coal subsidies to reduce deforestation, this experiment blending conservation, ecological farming, and community co-creation stands as an exemplary “Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure” (OECM). It also offers fresh perspectives for biodiversity conservation across China.
THIS/EPISODE’S/GUEST
Project lead for FCF’s Leopard Village Fields. Also known as Ergou, she goes by @天才少女哈亚纳 on Weibo and is a mother to two cats.
Zain
Editor at Foodthink. A novice naturalist hoping to rediscover a sense of wonder, and a monthly donor to FCF.
TIMELINE
03:12 What is the connection between ecological agriculture and wildlife conservation? Why did FCF launch the ‘Leopard Village Fields’ project?
04:46 In the North China region, home to 170 million people, how can humans and leopards share the same land?
06:44 Is it difficult for a conservation organisation to start ecological agriculture from scratch?
18:00 How do villagers view the Leopard Village Fields? Are they willing to participate in ecological farming?
21:25 From a comedy of errors over ‘stolen’ corn to villagers helping with the harvest, what transpired? How have the stories between humans and animals turned the Leopard Village Fields into a unique testing ground?
29:47 Can ecological agriculture balance the tension between conservation and development? How is FCF working alongside villagers to find solutions?
31:50 A shift in mindset among locals, beginning with the choice to spare a snake
38:24 How will the Leopard Village Fields project achieve long-term financial sustainability?
50:53 In the future, will we see more Leopard Village Fields? Can this model be replicated in other regions?
51:44 If we visit the Leopard Village Fields, will we be able to see leopards?
72:49 If we’d like to contribute to North China leopard conservation, where should we start?
– Further Reading –
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《Leopard Homeland Field 2024: Figures You’ll Want to Know》
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《The Generation in North China Most Open to Leopards Is Growing Old》
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Unless otherwise stated, all images are courtesy of the Leopard Alliance and volunteers
Music: Banong
Concept/Editing: Zen
Production: Xiaojing
Contact: xiaojing@foodthink.cn