The "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team safeguards grasslands in northern borderland of China

An aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 2, 2025 shows policemen of the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team patrolling on snow-covered Chenbarhu Banner Grassland in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

Deep in the snow-shrouded grassland in Chenbarhu Banner, a row of mounted police patrol on horseback, grappling with gusts and snow. They carry out security guard patrols and management on the vast grassland across an area of 18,600 square kilometers. Equipped with well-trained horses, each of which has undergone more than six months of systematic training, the police team stands as a "symbol of safety" on the grassland, safeguarding local herdsmen all year round.

The "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team, which was founded in 2015, is the first of its kind in Hulun Buir. Over the past decade, police officers of the team have been dedicating themselves to working under harsh conditions in the northern borderland of China. Whether braving intense ultraviolet rays in summer or carrying out special training on the snowfields with temperatures reaching minus 40 degrees Celsius in winter, the team has never hesitated to perform its duties.

Apart from routine patrols and training, the team has also contributed to the safety of local schools, directing the traffic and escorting pupils through snow-covered streets.

To date, the team's total patrol mileage has exceeded 140,000 kilometers and it has helped nearly 700 residents out of danger. From the grasslands to nearby towns, the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team is the loyal guardian of local people and land.

A policeman of the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team performs guard duty outside an elementary school in Chenbarhu Banner in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 2, 2025.(Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

An aerial drone photo taken on Dec. 2, 2025 shows policemen of the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team patrolling on snow-covered Chenbarhu Banner Grassland in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

A policeman of the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team feeds horses inside a pen on snow-covered Chenbarhu Banner Grassland in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 2, 2025.(Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

Policemen of the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team patrol on snow-covered Chenbarhu Banner Grassland in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Darhan)

A policeman of the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team wipes off the frost on a horse in Chenbarhu Banner of Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)

Policemen of the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team conduct training activities on snow-covered Chenbarhu Banner Grassland in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Darhan)

A policeman of the "Gyrfalcon" mounted police team conducts training activities on snow-covered Chenbarhu Banner Grassland in Hulun Buir, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Dec. 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui)