CHINA SCIO

 ㄑ In Depth

Growing number of species being protected

Environment
The government is working to ensure a healthier and safer environment for flora and fauna.

China DailyUpdated: March 11, 2021

Longganhu National Nature Reserve in the central province of Hubei is having its busiest spring since it was established in 2009, and it has recorded a record number of migrant birds this year.

Members of staff pose for photos with panda cubs at the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base in Chengdu, Sichuan province, early last month, before the Spring Festival holiday. [Photo/Xinhua]

All the reserve's staff members are busy safeguarding the "visitors", who are scheduled to head north in the coming weeks.

At the peak of the migration season, 145,000 birds were counted at the reserve. "During several observation periods, an average of about 140,000 birds could be seen throughout winter, a record high in the past decade," said Wu Xinzhou, head of the reserve's management office, adding that the previous record was 122,000 birds.

As spring draws near and the weather turns warmer, tundra swans are gradually leaving to continue their journey north. Other birds, such as white cranes, are still replenishing their energy for the trip ahead.

According to Wu, the numbers of several wild species broke records during the winter, including 13 white cranes and 105 hooded cranes, both under Level I protection, the highest in China.

"In addition to people's growing awareness of wildlife protection, the booming population of migratory birds in the reserve is the result of several factors, such as fishing bans and environmental restoration efforts," he said.

On Jan 1, a 10-year ban, outlawing all types of fishing except that for scientific research, started in the main channel of the Yangtze River, China's longest waterway, plus its major branches and two large connected lakes.

The reserve, centered in Longgan Lake and connected by the Yangtze to Poyang Lake, China's biggest body of water, implemented a regional fishing ban on Oct 1.

More than 5,000 fishermen and 1,250 boats have been redeployed to reduce the influence of human activity on the environment.

Moreover, the reserve has invested 15 million yuan ($2.3 million) to turn about 133 hectares of farmland into wetland.

"Rice that was planted within the region will not be harvested, so it will provide a food supply for the migratory birds," Wu said.

Not only is the avian population growing in Longganhu, but official statistics show that many forms of wildlife, especially endangered species, have registered stable growth nationwide in recent years.

By the end of last year, the total giant panda population was 1,864, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

The population of wild Asian elephants-the continent's largest land mammal, which is under first-class protection in China-has also seen stable growth, with 300 recorded last year.

In 1981, Yangxian county, Shaanxi province, reported seven wild crested ibises, the world's only known wild population at the time.

The crested ibis, known as "the oriental gem", was once thought to be extinct as a result of human activities such as urbanization and pollution.

However, as a result of multiple protection methods, the bird's population in China has risen to more than 4,000, according to the administration.

Zhang Zhizhong, head of the administration's wildlife protection department, said, "Several animals that were once extinct in the wild, such as milu deer and wild horses, have now developed their own wild groups thanks to artificial breeding."

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