Milu Park

Across the vast expanse of southern Beijing lies Milu Park. It’s a sanctuary teeming with life, a testament to nature’s resilience. Milu Park wasn’t always a haven for wildlife. It once served as the imperial hunting grounds of the Ming and Qing emperors. Known then as Nanyuan Garden or Nanhaizi Garden, it was a world of walled gardens, opulent palaces, dense forests, and sprawling grasslands. Imagine emperors riding through, pursuing their quarry. Today, those walls and gates are gone. Milu Park has transformed into a public park and a vibrant ecological research center. It’s a natural park for the animals of Beijing, most notably the Père David’s deer, also known as milu. This magnificent creature, with its unique antlers and horse-like face, had vanished from China by the end of the 19th century, during the Qing Dynasty. But thanks to reintroduction efforts from Britain in the 1980s, the milu once again roams Chinese soil. Milu Park now boasts the largest population of Père David’s deer globally. The park covers 60 hectares. It includes a diverse landscape of swamp, grassland, pond, and woodland, creating a perfect habitat for these gentle giants. Within Milu Park, a remarkable event took place in 1999. A Père David’s deer was born in the wild, a momentous occasion marking the first such birth in centuries. It symbolized the success of the park’s conservation efforts. The park is not just for milu. It has become a haven for other deer species too, including hog deer, sika deer, white-lipped deer, red deer, and water deer. Milu Park is a living museum, a testament to the dedication of those who work tirelessly to protect these amazing animals. Their efforts ensure that the milu continues to thrive, gracing the landscape of China for generations to come. It’s a place of rebirth, a symbol of hope for the future.