A wolf is caught after it runs into an office building in Huangnan Tibetan autonomous prefecture in Qinghai province.

Creatures of habitat

"Our ecology's improvement means more animals live long enough to become adults," the 29-year-old explains.

"These animals need more food for themselves and their offspring. That's why some raid the fields. Therein lies the dilemma. I don't know how they could flourish without their human neighbors."

That's Qi's assessment of the ecological reality.

But his other evaluations are more practical.

"If you encounter a bear, you'd better pretend to be dead," he says.

"That's your best bet."

Yege Primary School's former principal Youngdingqupai says an unintended benefit of the proliferation of wild bears has been increased school attendance in Yushu's Qumalai county. He recalls two students who encountered a bear on the road when they ran away from school.

"They were so frightened, they promised to never run away again," he recalls.

"And they didn't. Nobody has since."

Related: Watching elephants raze a restaurant