However, he is better known among the locals as the amateur photographer who has captured images of wild giant pandas on seven occasions.

The number of wild giant pandas in China has increased from 1,114 in the 1980s to 1,864 today, according to a survey on the panda population.

Tangjiahe reserve, which is now a part of the Giant Panda National Park, was home to 39 wild giant pandas, according to a 2014 survey. Chen Limin, head of the Tangjiahe section of the national park, said today the number could be more than 50.

Ma's first encounter with a wild giant panda was in July 2007, when he and his colleagues were watching a Chinese serow on a hillside in the reserve.

A round, black-and-white animal suddenly came into view in his telescope. Ma immediately identified it as a giant panda.

"After waiting for 14 years, I finally saw a wild panda with my own eyes for the first time in Tangjiahe," he said, adding he was so excited that he almost dropped his camera.

Ma ran to an elevated place to scout a good spot to photograph the panda from a safe distance, before heading toward the target location. "I used my hands to shove away the bamboo branches in my path and trekked for two hours before reaching the spot," Ma said.

Luckily, the panda was asleep in a tree. Ma quickly positioned his camera and reeled off a few snaps.

In 2014, he spotted a panda in the wild for the third time when he and his colleagues were monitoring the activities of wild pandas at an altitude of 1,955 meters. After noticing that a muntjac had suddenly started running and barking, Ma knew there were other animals around.

When he turned around, he saw a panda ambling out of the forest. Ma immediately hid behind a rock, attached a lens on his camera and pointed it at the panda.

Undisturbed, the panda stared into the distance, its body bathed in sunlight. "It is the most beautiful picture of all my panda shots," Ma said.

Apart from giant pandas, Ma has photographed other State-protected wild animals, such as otters and tawny fishing owls.

"Just because I get to click these rare shots doesn't mean I have mastered a better technique or have better equipment than other photographers," Ma said. "It depends on who is more diligent, who is closer to the animals and who has better lighting."

He aspires to helping more young people learn about wildlife. "I want to pass down the love for nature to the younger lot," he said.

Xinhua