King of the Wilderness

"This is our main reference system, but today I must leave the stream to cross the ridge."

"So I can also observe the phototropism of the vegetation. Watch carefully," he pointed to the trunk of a large tree.

"In the Northern Hemisphere, the side of the trees facing south, because they receive more sunlight, usually has more lush foliage, and the bark is drier."

"While the north-facing side is more prone to moss and lichen growth. This is not absolute, but by observing multiple trees, you can derive a high probability of the correct direction."

"We can also use the wind direction and the terrain features. The Ailao Mountain is affected by the southwest monsoon, and the wind mostly comes from a fixed direction."

"By judging the tilt direction of the canopy to determine the perennial wind direction, and remembering which direction you came from on the slope, you move approximately parallel to the contour lines."

"Or you can control the ascent and descent, the most taboo thing is to wander aimlessly in the forest, which will completely lose you within half an hour."

While explaining, he verified his words with actions. His eyes continuously switched between the surrounding trees, rocks, and lichens, as if constructing a three-dimensional topographic map in his mind.

The forced march was tedious and extremely exhausting, apart from the heavy breathing and the rustling sound of stepping on dry branches and leaves, the jungle was unusually quiet.

But this tranquility was just a facade, Lin Yu’an knew that countless pairs of eyes were secretly observing him, the uninvited guest.

Suddenly, there was a violent shake in the treetops ahead, followed by a long and loud, song-like cry.

He immediately stopped, crouched down, and hid himself behind a large fern.

Quickly removing the camera from his chest, he carefully directed the lens towards the source of the sound.

The lens threaded through the gaps between overlapping branches and leaves, and the scene that emerged made his heart skip a beat.

It was a breathtaking sight only found in top-tier ecological documentaries.

On a canopy soaring into the clouds several dozen meters away, a black silhouette was performing a dizzying, anti-gravity show.

Its figure was extremely slender, covered in a glossy, velvet-smooth black fur.

The most striking feature was its tuft of high-standing black crested hair on top of its head, which flowed through the air with its movements, exuding an untamed wildness.

Its arms were disproportionately long, extending far beyond its height.

At this moment, those arms were its wings. Grabbing a high branch with one hand, its entire body swung forward like a pendulum.

At the peak of the swing, just as the old momentum faded and the new force had yet to ignite, it released its grip!

Its entire body traced an elegant parabola in the air, and in the instant before descending, another arm precisely grasped a branch farther ahead.

"OMG..." Lin Yu’an murmured in a voice only audible to himself, filled with uncontrollable awe.

"The black-crested gibbon! A national first-class protected animal, a true canopy elf!"

He cautiously adjusted the lens while narrating in an almost inaudible voice, as if recording a top-tier nature program.

"Folks, we’ve hit the jackpot. The black-crested gibbon is one of the most endangered primates in the world."

"They spend their entire lives in the canopy, with extremely demanding habitat requirements."

The lens captured two slightly smaller figures.

A similarly black, but slightly smaller female gibbon, tightly holding a golden-furred, curious baby gibbon peeking out from her embrace.

He adjusted his breathing, his voice tinged with deeper excitement: "We are now in the heart of the Ailao Mountain..."

"This means what we’re seeing is likely the Jingshan sub-species of the black-crested gibbon!"

"A sub-species named after the county where these mountains are located! We are witnessing a living legend in its place of namesake!"

"Look, this is a typical monogamous family unit. Gibbons are strict arboreal animals, rarely coming down to the ground in their lifetime."

"They possess an astonishing brachiating ability, as we see with these aerial swings, each surpassing ten meters with ease."

"This is due to their extraordinarily long arms and extremely flexible wrist and shoulder joints."

"Notice the gender differences," he zoomed in closer, "adult males are entirely black with a distinct black crested head of hair."

"While adult females, though also black, are smaller in size. What’s most interesting is the juveniles, who are born golden-colored regardless of gender, like this little fellow."

"This is a form of camouflage, and as they grow, their fur color changes."

"Around 6-8 years old, the gender differences manifest through fur coloration, with males remaining black for life."

"Whereas females undergo a dramatic color change from black back to light yellow or yellow-grey, usually retaining a small black cap on the head."

The melodious cry sounded again, this time a duet between family members. Their songs intertwined and echoed in the valley, filled with complex emotions.

"This song is the most famous feature of gibbons, earning them the nickname ’the singing apes of the forest.’"

"It’s not just a territorial declaration, but a way to strengthen family bonds and communicate complex emotions."