分类： society

Saudi Arabia has achieved an unprecedented milestone in religious tourism as the Haramain authorities reported a record-breaking 904,000 Umrah pilgrims on the fourth day of Ramadan (February 21, 2026). This remarkable figure, corresponding to the 4th of Ramadan, 1447 AH in the Islamic calendar, nearly doubles last year’s peak of 500,000 pilgrims recorded on March 7.

In response to the massive influx of worshippers during Ramadan, Saudi authorities have implemented comprehensive safety and crowd management protocols. The Mataf area—the sacred white marble courtyard encircling the Kaaba—has been designated exclusively for Umrah performers throughout daylight hours to ensure ritual safety.

Security measures have been significantly enhanced at the Grand Mosque to accommodate the surge in worshippers. Authorities have established clear directional signage regulating movement through mosque entrances while prohibiting congregation in walkways, roads, and courtyards. To address transportation challenges, organized public bus services are operating from King Abdulaziz International Airport and 14 designated parking areas—nine within the holy capital and five on approaching highways.

Pedestrian management has been prioritized with dedicated walking routes in the central area where vehicle access is restricted during prayer times. Unauthorized motorcycles and bicycles face prohibitions, while improperly parked vehicles are subject to towing and penalties. For periods of extreme crowding, worshippers unable to access the Grand Mosque or its external courtyards are being directed to nearby mosques and specially equipped prayer halls.

The authorities have issued guidance for prayer attendance, noting that spaces fill rapidly during Friday prayers, Maghrib, Isha, Tarawih, and Tahajjud prayers—particularly during Ramadan’s final ten days. Worshippers are advised to proceed to available courtyards and designated areas as directed by security personnel.

While families across China gathered for Spring Festival reunions, a team of conservation specialists remained on duty at the Qinling Giant Panda Foping Rescue Breeding Research Base in Shaanxi province, providing continuous care for the endangered species. The facility, operational since October 2022, serves as a critical hub for giant panda management, wildlife rescue operations, and medical treatment for injured or ill pandas from natural habitats.

Yang Li, the base’s deputy director with six years of service, celebrated her fourth consecutive Spring Festival alongside the pandas rather than with family. Her responsibilities encompass comprehensive health monitoring of the animals and conducting public science education initiatives. Yang additionally participates in rigorous field patrols through challenging conditions—braving winter snowscapes and navigating dense, humid summer forests.

“Protecting Qinling’s ecological security while families celebrate provides an irreplaceable sense of accomplishment,” Yang reflected. She noted that pandas maintain no concept of holidays, demonstrating particular activity during festival periods due to Foping’s specific climate conditions.

The caretakers draw parallels between panda rearing and child-rearing, emphasizing meticulous attention to detail. Food preparation involves disinfecting and thoroughly rinsing apples and bamboo, while supplemental nighttime feedings mirror care patterns for young children.

Each panda exhibits distinct personality traits, according to caretakers. Male panda Heng Heng displays a characteristically contemplative disposition often mistaken for melancholy, while female Dang Sheng demonstrates notably energetic behavior, frequently climbing trees and embracing trunks, especially during snowy conditions.

The conservation effort extends beyond Yang’s team. Research assistant He Jiao returned to his hometown two years ago from China Agricultural University’s College of Veterinary Medicine to collect fecal samples for laboratory analysis, screening for infectious diseases and assessing population health. His family maintains a multigenerational connection to panda conservation, beginning when his great-grandparents rescued a panda named Ping Ping in the 1990s.

“Between my family, my village and these mountains, there exists an inexplicable, unbreakable bond with giant pandas,” He stated. “I aspire to advance this legacy through improved conservation methodologies.”

Foping County represents a crucial stronghold for panda conservation. According to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration’s 2011-2014 survey, Foping National Nature Reserve spans 292.4 square kilometers and hosts 67 giant pandas—the highest population density and wild encounter rate nationally.

The multifunctional base incorporates wildlife rescue sheltering, emergency quarantine protocols, rewilding training, scientific research, and public education initiatives. At full capacity, it will accommodate over 20 pandas. Future plans for 2026 include utilizing laboratory facilities for enhanced health monitoring and expanding public conservation awareness campaigns.

In an innovative conservation measure, Heilongjiang Province’s Siberian Tiger Park has launched a rotational ‘light-fasting’ program to safeguard its endangered big cats from overfeeding during peak tourist seasons. The strategy, implemented across 13 free-range enclosures from February 1 to March 31, designates one enclosure daily as a no-feeding zone while maintaining normal feeding opportunities in others.

The park, operated by China Hengdaohezi Feline Breeding Center, houses over 300 Siberian tigers—nearly 200 residing in free-range habitats. During winter tourism peaks, daily visitor numbers exceed 10,000, with enthusiastic tourists feeding tigers beef strips and live chickens at designated points.

Huang Haitao, director of the park’s feeding and veterinary department, explained the biological rationale: ‘The rotating fasting model allows tigers to periodically restore natural hunger rhythms, preventing digestive system overload and preserving hunting instincts.’ The approach balances animal welfare with visitor experience, as concentrated fasting could disappoint travelers.

Implementation involves multi-channel communication including entrance notices, guided explanations, and sightseeing bus announcements. Zhang Weihua, a park driver, noted visitors’ cooperative response: ‘We create feeding opportunities in permitted areas to ensure visitor satisfaction while protecting tigers.’

Tourists like Zhou Wei from Haikou expressed support: ‘I now understand reasonable control constitutes true protection.’ The park further customizes fasting schedules based on individual tiger health, visitor flow, and feeding patterns, occasionally isolating ‘celebrity tigers’ for health monitoring when overfed.

As one of China’s three major Siberian tiger conservation facilities, the park continues refining scientific breeding systems to contribute to the species’ preservation. Siberian tigers remain critically endangered, primarily inhabiting northeastern China and eastern Russia.

The United Arab Emirates’ substantial Malayali expatriate community is engaging in vigorous debate following India’s Union Cabinet approval to officially rename their home state from ‘Kerala’ to ‘Keralam’. This proposed constitutional amendment has sparked diverse reactions among the estimated one million Malayalis residing in the UAE, who constitute one of the largest expatriate groups in the country.

Proponents of the change view it as a significant cultural correction, drawing parallels to previous successful renaming initiatives such as Bombay becoming Mumbai and Madras transforming into Chennai. Sree Prakash Purayath, General Secretary of the Indian Association Sharjah, emphasized the linguistic importance of this transition, stating: ‘This represents a powerful act of linguistic and cultural affirmation. In Malayalam, our native language, the state has always been referred to as Keralam—the term Kerala is largely perceived as a colonial-era adaptation used in official documentation.’

The proposed name carries deep historical significance, potentially deriving either from ‘Cheram’ (connected to the ancient Chera dynasty) or from the combination of ‘Kera’ (coconut tree) and ‘Alam’ (land), collectively meaning ‘The Land of Coconut Trees’.

However, the community remains divided on the initiative. Nissar Thalangara, President of the Indian Association Sharjah, expressed reservations, noting that ‘Kerala has established international recognition, particularly in tourism, whereas Keralam remains predominantly local.’ He advocated for conducting a public referendum before implementing such a substantial change.

Practical concerns have emerged alongside cultural debates. Firoz Sainudeen, a Dubai-raised interior design professional, questioned the timing of the initiative, suggesting that governmental focus should prioritize pressing issues like youth unemployment and drug abuse rather than symbolic nomenclature changes.

The discussion has generated considerable humor within the diaspora, particularly following Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor’s playful social media inquiry about whether residents should now be called ‘Keralamites,’ ‘Keralamians,’ or simply continue as ‘Malayalis.’

The constitutional process requires the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026 to secure parliamentary approval and presidential assent before implementation. Until then, the proposal continues to stimulate conversation across UAE community centers, labor camps, and digital forums, reflecting the complex intersection of cultural identity, historical preservation, and practical governance.