The Gold of the Himalayas

A portrait of the Baima Snow Mountains Nature Reserve in the foothills of the Himalayas in China's Yunnan Province, bordering Tibet. Politically, the area belongs to China, culturally to Tibet. The region is one of the last refuges of the very rare black snub-nosed monkey. They are protected by rangers who constantly monitor the population. Mushroom hunters search for the so-called "Gold of the Himalayas," the tiny caterpillar fungus called Cordyceps. It is said to have anti-cancer properties and strong aphrodisiac effects. A kilogram of Cordyceps fetches about $20,000 on the world market. At the Tibetan Dongzhulin Monastery, monks learn the art of debating and are committed to animal conservation by searching the nature reserve for animal traps set by poachers. Yaks, which graze in the high mountains during the summer, are the most important source of livelihood for the inhabitants of the Baima Nature Reserve.