The greatest fear of Bayishi Hule, the herdsman from Mazongshan, is that one day the wolves might attack people if their packs keep growing. "The wolves often come in a pack of six or seven and can kill dozens or even 100 mountain goats at a time," he said.

"They don't eat all of them. They just bite through their throats and leave them bleeding to death like it is a game to them," he said.

Wolves are a protected species in China. Anyone who wants to hunt them must obtain permits from forestry administrations, or they will face criminal charges. As private citizens are forbidden from owning guns in China, herdsmen can only count on police or other armed forces to control the predators' numbers.