FrenchbiologistandzoologistYvonleMaho(right)ataneventinBeijing.LIMENGHAN/CHINADAILYKnownforbiodiversitywork,biologistlaudsChina'scollaborationeffortszYvonleMaho,aFrenchbiologistandzoologistwhowasrecentlyhonoredwiththe2023ChineseGovernmentFriendshipAward,haspraisedChinaforitsachievementsinecologicalconservation,scientificresearchandinternationalcooperation."IthinkChinaismakingahugeefforttoboostinternationalcollaboration,andconsideringtheincreaseintheproductionofscientificpapersbyChinesescientists,Chinahasmadeabigsuccess,"hesaid."Thecountry'secologicalandenvironmentalconservationhasdevelopednicely,whichChinesescientistsshouldbeveryproudof."TheremarksweremadefollowingaceremonyhostedbytheInternationalSocietyofZoologicalSciencesonFeb5tocelebratehisreceiptoftheprestigiousaward.TheChineseGovernmentFriendshipAwardisthehighesthonorbestoweduponforeignersfortheirexceptionalcontributionstoreformanddevelopmentinChina.The2023awardwaspresentedto50expertsfrom26countriesonFeb4.LeMaho,77,saidthathefeltsurprisedandhappyuponreceivingtheaward,emphasizingthathisareaofexpertise,thepreservationofbiodiversity,standsasamajorinternationalconcernandisofglobalsignificance."EversinceIworkedwithChina15yearsago,Chinahashadagoodscientificlevel,"hesaid.HeaddedthattheinternationalcommunityhasacknowledgedChina'sendeavorsinbiodiversityconservation.HenotedprogressmadewiththeHainangibbon,aspeciesunderfirst-levelStateprotectioninChinaandtheworld'srarestprimate,whosepopulationhasgrownfromaround13to37overthepasttwodecades,andthecrestedibis,whosenationalpopulationhasclimbedfromjustseveninthe1980stomorethan9,000lastyear,makingup90percentoftheglobaltotal.Lastyear,leMahoattendedaninternationalconferenceonChina'swanderingelephantsinTengchong,Yunnan.HesaidthatChinahasestablishedacommendablemodelforpreservingbiodiversitywithoutdisruptingthedailymovementsofanimals.Theelephantsarenotconfinedtocages,butratherinteractwithvillagersinanorganizedmannerwithinawell-protectedarea.ZhangZhibin,theexecutivedirectorofISZSwhohasworkedwithleMahoformanyyears,saidthattheFrenchmanhasgreatlycontributedtopromotingscientificcommunicationandfriendshipbetweenthetwocountries.ZhangsaidthatashonorarypresidentoftheFrance-Chinaassociationforhigh-leveltalentexchange,leMahomakesmultiplevisitstoChinaeveryyear,deliveringspeechestocollegestudentsandtechnicalworkers,attendingbiologicalandzoologicalconferencesandencouragingFrenchexpertsandscholarstocometoChina.ReflectingonhisnumerousvisitstoChineseuniversities,leMahosaidthathewasimpressedbythestudents'enthusiasmtoexchangeideaswithforeignscientists,whichevokedmemoriesofhisownexperienceswhenhewasyoung.SinceChinaandFranceissuedtheBeijingCallforBiodiversityConservationandClimateChangein2019,leMahoandZhanghaveworkedtosetupabiodiversityresearchcenterthatwillbejointlyrunbytheChineseAcademyofSciencesandtheFrenchNationalCenterforScientificResearch.SettolaunchinBeijinginJune,thecenteraimstobringtogethermorethan20scientistsfromChinaand20fromFrancetocollaborateonscientificresearchandconducttrainingsessionsforstudentsinthefieldsofbiodiversity,ecologicalhealthandecosystemfunctions."Thecenterwillprovideastableplatform,allowingformorein-depthstudiesandclosercross-bordercollaboration,"Zhangsaid.AsanacademicianofboththeAcademyofEurope(AcademiaEuropaea)andtheFrenchAcademyofSciences,leMahoisaworld-classscientistwhospecializesinzoologicalecologyandisknownforhisgroundbreakingworkwithpenguins,accordingtoZhang.LeMahofoundwaystostudytheAntarcticbirdswhileminimizinghumaninterference.Hepioneeredtheuseofradio-frequencyidentificationtagstokeeptrackofthem,andhealsoinventedarobotdisguisedasababypenguinthatwasusedasanantennatoreadthetagsandcollectdata.TheFrenchscientistalsodiscoveredanantimicrobialmoleculeinpenguinsthathelpsthempreservefoodstoredintheirstomachs.Thismoleculewassubsequentlyusedinthedevelopmentofanantibioticdrug.LeMahosaidthathehasmetmanyChinesescientistswhotoldhimthattheroboticpenguinmodelhecreatedhasgreatlyinspiredthem.HesaidthatcooperationbetweenscientistsfromChinaandFranceisimportantbecausetheycanenhancetheirexpertisethroughideaexchangesandcollaborativebrainstorming."I'msurethattherewillbefurtherdevelopmentonbiodiversityandChina-Francefriendship,andwearedoingallwecanforthat,"headded.YanZhongqiancontributedtothisstory.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.