Recent footage from infrared cameras at Xiangtou Mountain National Nature Reserve in Huizhou, South China's Guangdong province, has captured the rare sight of a critically endangered Chinese pangolin with its baby, marking a significant milestone in local conservation efforts.

On Feb 10, cameras recorded a mother pangolin with her offspring during the day, showcasing the species' adaptation to the protected environment. The young pangolin was seen clinging to its mother's tail as they entered a burrow.

A similar scene was captured on March 2 at a different location within the reserve, further affirming the population's thriving status.

Since 2018, nearly 900 fresh pangolin burrows have been documented, indicating a stable and self-sustaining breeding population within the reserve.

The Xiangtou Mountain National Nature Reserve, located in Boluo county of Huizhou, boasts extensive primary evergreen broadleaf forests. It is the largest forest-type national nature reserve in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

Hua Yan, chief expert at the National Forestry and Grassland Administration's Pangolin Conservation Research Center, said that carrying their young on their tails is a natural behavior for Chinese pangolins, especially for those aged 0-6 months.