When it comes to protecting and studying the Sichuan Partridge, one place stands out: Laojunshan National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

It's a name few outside conservation circles recognize and even fewer could locate on a map. Yet this remote reserve in southwest China has become the cornerstone of efforts to conserve this elusive bird.

Founded in 2000 and designated a national nature reserve in 2011, Laojunshan is China's first protected area created specifically for pheasant conservation. Nestled within the Hengduan Mountains biodiversity hotspot, it shelters an extraordinary variety of wildlife.

Giant pandas, red pandas and more than 370 vertebrate species roam its forests, alongside its conservation star, the Sichuan Partridge, one of the world's rarest pheasants found only in China.

Over 400 Sichuan Partridges live within the reserve, accounting for roughly one-fifth of the species' known global population. Because of its importance to the species' survival, the surrounding Pingshan County has been recognized by the China Wildlife Conservation Association as the official "Hometown of the Sichuan Partridge."

This autumn, photographers were given rare access to document the wildlife here. Their images offer a rare window into one of China's lesser-known biodiversity sanctuaries, and serve as a reminder that significant conservation stories often unfold quietly, far from the spotlight.

Laojunshan's story also reflects China's broader shift toward science-based conservation. In recent years, the country has expanded protected areas, strengthened wildlife monitoring programs and invested in restoring native habitats.

For species like the Sichuan Partridge, which lack the global spotlight of the giant panda, these quieter efforts are crucial. The progress at Laojunshan demonstrates how focused conservation can benefit entire ecosystems, not just a single flagship species.