Karamay has opened Xinjiang's first wild animal specimen museum.

The museum, located in Urho district, has 108 preserved rare wild animals, 15 of which are wildlife species designated for protection by the national government.

The specimen museum is divided into display areas that simulate different habitats. With the setting and light effects, the specimens are lifelike and full of vitality.

All 108 specimens belong to retired worker Zhao Lansheng, the only person in Karamay with an official license to make animal specimens. In the past 30 years, he has been collecting bodies of dead wild animals and preserving them.

Zhao used to be keen on hunting. However, in his middle age, he realized it was evil to kill wild life. After that, he started to preserve dead animals, in an effort to "let them live forever", Zhao said.

A visitor poses with a brown bear in the wild animal specimen museum in Karamay, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. [Photo/epaper.kelamayi.com.cn]

Xinjiang argali specimen in the museum. [Photo/epaper.kelamayi.com.cn]

Zhao Lansheng takes care of Xinjiang snow leopard specimens. [Photo/epaper.kelamayi.com.cn]

Edited by Andrew Ancheta