Chongqing, Inner Mongolia jointly launch Southern Hemisphere wildlife exhibition

(ECNS)— An exhibition titled “The Call of the Wild — Wildlife of the Southern Hemisphere” opened at the Chongqing Natural History Museum on Tuesday.

Jointly organized by the Chongqing Natural History Museum and the Inner Mongolia Museum of Natural History, the exhibition will run for nearly three months. It is divided into three sections exploring the ecology of the African savanna and the ways local communities have coexisted with nature.

The exhibition features specimens of giraffes, zebras, lions, African buffaloes and other wildlife, illustrating the diverse ecological relationships among species on the African grasslands.

Rock art, wooden artifacts and traditional household items are also on display, offering insights into how local communities have observed wildlife, respected the natural environment and adapted their way of life over generations. Interactive science panels provide visitors with further information about wildlife and ecosystems.

Wang Zhili, deputy director of the Inner Mongolia Museum of Natural History, said natural history museums play an important role in protecting natural heritage and raising ecological awareness.

By combining the collections and regional ecological resources of the two museums, the exhibition allows the institutions to share science education resources, Wang said. He added that the two museums would continue to cooperate in collection research, exhibition development and public science education.

Gao Bichun, director of the Chongqing Natural History Museum, described the exhibition as an important example of cross-regional cooperation between museums.

Professional materials and valuable exhibits provided by the Inner Mongolia Museum of Natural History have been combined with the Chongqing museum’s collections to present a scientifically informative and visually engaging picture of the Southern Hemisphere’s natural environment, Gao said.

She added that the exhibition aims to show visitors that natural science is not merely knowledge found in textbooks, but can also be a cultural experience that inspires emotion and reflection. 

A public lecture on the wildlife ecology of the East African Rift Valley and wildlife conservation was also held on the exhibition’s opening day.

(By Helen Mo, intern Wu Jingjing)