Retired school principal saves tiny zoo from extinction

At 5 am, Feng Yuanyong was already making his rounds in the semi-darkness with a flashlight in hand, checking the animal enclosures one by one.

The 71-year-old spent decades as a school principal and education official. Now, his mornings begin with touching the noses of tigers at a privately-run mini zoo in Kaili, a city in southwest China's Guizhou province.

After retirement, Feng became the facility's zookeeper, repairman and even an unofficial "veterinarian", devoting himself to caring for more than 20 species of animals.

The morning routine is a ritual Feng has repeated for the past decade. He touches the tigers' noses to see whether they are moist — a simple method he developed after years of observing and caring for animals. He said small details like this one can reveal whether an animal is in good health. "People can tell you when they feel sick, animals can't," he said.

Time has left its marks on Feng's face. His gaze is steady and focused, but whenever he talks about the animals, he breaks into his trademark warm smile.

Built on a hillside, a 10-minute drive from downtown Kaili, the Kaili Zoo covers about 0.35 hectares.

Unlike most other zoos, it has no sprawling grounds or a large number of staff. For years, visitors were few, and the revenue was barely enough to cover daily expenses, but he stayed on.