Last summer, my father and I went on a long-awaited wildlife photography trip to the Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve. I had heard so much about Sanjiangyuan being the "Water Tower of China," not only as the source of the Yellow River, Yangtze River, and Lancang River, but also as a home to many rare and endangered species. The vast land here is inhabited by plateau spirits like the Tibetan antelope, snow leopards, and wild yaks, and for both my father and me, the opportunity to witness these animals in their natural habitat was a rare and precious experience.

Upon arriving at the reserve, we chose to start our day early in the morning. The chill of the plateau in the early hours was piercing, but when the first rays of sunlight touched the grasslands, everything turned warm and soft, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of the plants. My father, with his camera, and I quietly walked across the grasslands. Suddenly, our attention was drawn to a group of Tibetan antelopes in the distance. They stood still in the morning light, their fur changing with the shifting rays, staring at us intently as if trying to assess whether we were a threat. My father and I quickly crouched down, adjusted our cameras, and slowly focused, careful not to disturb these sensitive creatures.

The Tibetan antelopes seemed to sense that we meant no harm, and after a while, they lowered their heads and peacefully grazed, or moved gently around. Just then, a long howl echoed from the distance. We shifted our gaze toward the sound and spotted a Tibetan fox quietly observing the antelopes. Its fluffy tail was particularly noticeable in the sunlight, and its vigilant eyes betrayed the instincts of a predator. The Tibetan antelopes soon noticed the fox and scattered quickly, creating a brief but intense scene before us.

At that moment, my father and I held our breath, not wanting to disrupt the purity of this ecosystem, yet deeply captivated by the wild beauty unfolding before us. Life on this land is interdependent and competitive, forming a unique balance in nature. After capturing the moments, we quietly backed away, leaving the fox and antelopes to continue with their daily lives. Back at our camp, my father and I went through the photographs we had taken, filled with awe and reverence for nature.

That photography trip deeply reinforced my understanding of the importance of the nature reserve. It is the ecological protection of Sanjiangyuan that allows these animals to thrive freely on the plateau, and it gives us the opportunity to witness their natural beauty.