Live Cat Appraisal: Starting with a Beast That's Got a Long Prison Record

Chapter 80 Poaching Case?!

(A desert cat from Xining Wildlife Park – Qinghai Lake ~ not purebred, purebred is at the end)
"What?! A desert cat!!!"

Xia Qiyue suddenly jumped up from the long bench covered with a thick Tibetan carpet.

"You mean on our very first day here, before we even had a chance to unpack our luggage, we bumped into a desert cat, a Class I protected wild cat, right on the roof of the guesthouse?!"

Her chest rose and fell slightly, and her cheeks flushed with excitement.

It's important to know that the desert cat is a breed unique to my country, found only in the Chinese mainland, and is a Class I protected wild cat species in China!
A national treasure-level cat!

The only cat in the world to bear the title of "China"!

No one can stay calm in front of a cat like that.

After Xia Qiyue finished speaking, she turned and ran outside, wanting to find the two top-ranked cats.

"I'm not done yet!"

Chen Nian reacted quickly, grabbing her wrist and pressing her back into her seat. His voice was steady but tinged with helplessness.

"They are not purebred desert cats. Judging from their morphological characteristics, they are likely offspring of desert cats and domestic cats, belonging to the F1 generation of hybrid individuals."

This completely shocked Lin Qidong.

"Dude, you can even tell which generation it is?!"

Even the most knowledgeable and experienced Infinite Quantity was stunned, its hand holding the bowl of butter tea frozen in mid-air.

He has met many top feline experts from home and abroad, but no one has ever been able to tell which generation a cat is just by looking at it.

Chen Nian just smiled.

"Basically, don't do it six times."

Even before using Best's Eye, he had already determined that the other party was not a purebred Desert Cat.

Instead, it is a hybrid desert cat that is around generation 1-3.

However, the exact generation was only known after using the Eye of Best.

At this moment, Xia Qiyue also calmed down.

But the curiosity in his eyes only grew stronger: "What should this kind of cat be called? A hybrid desert cat?"

"It's a pity."

Chen Nian gently shook her head: "Currently, neither the academic community nor the official authorities have a universally recognized, authoritative name for the offspring of the desert cat and the domestic cat. Usually, they are still generally referred to as 'desert cats' or described as 'domestic cats with desert cat bloodlines'."

"This is not a good thing."

In the hall, everyone sat quietly, listening attentively to Chen Nian's slow and gentle narration.

"According to current genetic testing of domestic cats in the border area between Qinghai and Sichuan, 5%-10% carry desert cat genes. Long-term crossbreeding has led to the dilution of the desert cat gene pool."

"That is, the so-called genetic pollution."

“If this continues,” his voice carried a heavy sense of foresight: “the purebred desert cat, representing the unique creatures of our Chinese plateau, will silently disappear. Hybridization with domestic cats has become one of the biggest emerging threats to the survival of the purebred desert cat population, and its urgency is no less than that of traditional habitat loss and poaching.”

After speaking, he turned his deep gaze to Lin Qidong: "As the frontline protection force, the Cat Alliance should have corresponding prevention and intervention measures, right?"

"Of course."

Lin Qidong immediately nodded: "In the known core habitat of the desert cat and the surrounding buffer zone, we have worked closely with the local forestry department and community to carry out a large-scale TNR (trapping-neutering-returning) project for stray cats, making every effort to cut off the possibility of hybridization at the source."

"At the same time, prominent warning signs have been set up at all tourist-facing stations and at the entrances to the protected area, clearly prohibiting the keeping of domestic cats within the protected area."

As he spoke, he sighed, a hint of helplessness creeping into his eyes:
"But as you know, this land is too vast and the terrain too complex. There are always corners that manpower and surveillance cannot cover, and there will always be some 'fish that slip through the net.' As for the situation of these two little guys in front of us..."

He looked at the guesthouse owner: "Let Mr. Liu speak. I only arrived today."

All eyes turned to Old Liu.

The simple, honest man rubbed his rough, calloused hands together, a look of reminiscence crossing his dark face: "This story begins two months ago."

"I had just returned from dropping off passengers at the airport when I heard meowing on the roof. When I went up to check, I found the two little guys running, jumping and playing on the roof, but their parents were nowhere to be found."

"I'm a rough guy and don't know much about cat or dog breeds. Seeing that they were grayish-brown, I just assumed they were some stray cats that had come here to give birth. I figured that since I run a guesthouse, having two cats in the yard would add some life and make the guests like them, so I never thought of chasing them away."

"But these two little ones are frighteningly vigilant!"

Old Liu shook his head, his tone a mix of helplessness and amusement:

“I fed them every day, boiled meat, dried fish, and various other things for two whole months! And what happened? They wouldn’t let me get within two meters! Every time, I would put down the food and then hide far away before they would sneak out like little mice, grab the food, and run back under the eaves to eat. After they finished eating, they would shrink back, and I could hardly even see their faces.”

Chen Nian nodded.

"This is normal."

"The F1 generation of desert cats inherits the high level of vigilance and wildness inherent in purebred desert cats, maintaining a natural and strong sense of distance from humans."

This is the true survival wisdom of wild felines. Sticking up to each other upon meeting?
nonexistent!

It was this almost instinctive sense of alienation he caught in a fleeting glance under the eaves that convinced him that the purity of his bloodline could not exceed three generations.

Xia Qiyue couldn't help but ask, "Then why don't they leave here and return to the wider wilderness?"

"Leave?" Chen Nian looked out the window with a bitter smile.

It was a vast plateau, but one fraught with unknown risks!
"Even if they leave this small shelter, where can they go? The competition for survival in the wild is so cruel: hunger, predators, and harsh weather. Here, at least there are kind people like Mr. Liu who provide a stable source of food, so they don't have to struggle to fill their stomachs every day."

"Survival is always the first instinct of wild animals."

He turned back and looked at Old Liu with gentle eyes: "Moreover, Boss Liu has given them the maximum freedom and respect, without trying to confine them or disturb them excessively. This small space under the eaves is already a relatively safe place for them to live. Naturally, they are unwilling to leave easily."

"Hey, I just saw them all alone and pitiful, so I wanted to add some living things to the yard to keep them company."

Old Liu waved his hand, looking a little embarrassed.

He continued, "Later, as they grew bigger and their fur and bodies developed, I felt something was off. They looked more and more different from domestic cats! Especially those two little black tufts of fur on the tips of their ears, they looked so strange!"

"So I contacted the people at the Cat Alliance directly."

"Only after sending the photos did I learn the true identities of the two little ones."

Old Liu sighed deeply.

"Who would have thought I was secretly keeping two top-ranked cats! Luckily I found out early, otherwise, if someone had reported me, the consequences would have been dire."

"No, it won't happen," Chen Nian comforted gently.

"Although F1 hybrids carry the desert cat gene, according to the current 'List of National Key Protected Wild Animals' and its related judicial interpretations, they do not fall under the legal category of 'National Class I Protected Animals' and have not yet been explicitly included in the protection list for legal protection."

He looked at Lin Qidong as if seeking confirmation: "Mr. Lin, am I right about this?"

"Just call me Lao Lin."

Lin Qidong smiled wryly again, his smile mixed with deep admiration.

“Teacher Chen, in front of you, I feel like a complete new recruit, nothing can escape your sharp eyes! You are absolutely right, legally speaking, they do not belong to the ‘National First Class’ category.”

"How could that be!" Chen Nian quickly waved her hand, her expression sincere: "What I know is just some theoretical knowledge from books, mere armchair theorizing."

"Those who are truly worthy of respect as 'national treasure guardians' are like Lao Lin and every member of the Cat Alliance, who spend their years trekking through desolate mountains and wilderness, measuring the land with their own feet, and protecting these vulnerable creatures with their actions!"

He was afraid that the other party would misunderstand him as showing off his knowledge.

Lin Qidong certainly didn't mean that.

He shook his head with a smile, half-jokingly and half-seriously saying, "With the eye and knowledge you've shown today, you'd be more than qualified to be a special expert in our Cat Alliance's appraisal department!"

In just over ten minutes, Chen Nian's professional competence completely won over everyone present, especially Lin Qidong.

He understood better than anyone else just how valuable this was!

“Really, Teacher Chen, I’m not joking.”

"Should I go back and submit a report to my superiors, and ask them to specially appoint you as an appraisal expert?"

Lin Qidong's expression was serious and his tone sincere.

As a key force in the conservation of wild cats in China, the Cat Alliance's identification department bears the important responsibility of species identification and population assessment. It usually hires senior scholars with more than ten years of international research experience, many of whom are foreign experts.

But Lin Qidong felt that Chen Nian's skills were no less than theirs!

In some aspects, such as intuition and insight, it may even be superior!
If Chen Nian can accept this, his live streaming career and popularity can reach new heights.

This unexpected invitation caught Chen Nian off guard.

But he doesn't intend to discuss this topic now.

"Thank you for the invitation, but I think," Chen Nian shook her head, "let's talk about these two cats first."

"You, a key member of the Cat Alliance, wouldn't have made this trip in person just to confirm the identities of the two F1 generation Desert Cats, would you? That doesn't seem like enough to warrant your personal trip, does it?"

Although F1 generation cats are rare, the Cat Alliance's usual procedure is to entrust local personnel to capture, sterilize, and release them back into the wild.

There must be a more important reason why Lin Qidong made a special trip here.

Upon hearing this, Lin Qidong's smile vanished instantly.

He nodded seriously: "You're right. I'm here not just for them. It's because the reason these two kittens are on Boss Liu's roof is very likely related to a case of desert cat poaching!"

"Poaching?!"

(It's so frustrating not having a cat-themed tablet. ╥﹏╥)
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(End of this chapter)