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Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
CHENGDU, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) — The number of bird species at Qionghai Lake in Xichang City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, has reached a record high of 310 this year, with more migratory birds becoming permanent residents of the lake thanks to improved ecological conditions, local authorities said Sunday.
According to the Qionghai National Wetland Park Conservation Center, this increase is due to enhanced ecological restoration and reduced human impact. Yan Jun, lead engineer at the Xichang City Forestry and Grassland Bureau, reported that seven migratory species, including the coot, white-bellied moorhen, and Indian openbill, are now permanent residents.
Monitoring data showed that 120 bird species inhabited the lake in 2014, and by 2024, their number had increased to 302, reaching the current figure of 310 species a year later. Of these, five species are classified as Category I birds and 47 as Category II birds, including rare species such as the common sultan and scaly-sided merganser, which successfully breed on the lake.
Qionghai, the second-largest inland lake in Sichuan Province, suffered severe dehydration between the 1960s and 1990s due to land reclamation, resulting in a reduction in its area and a decline in bird species to just over 20. Recent conservation measures, such as coastal restoration projects, the relocation of more than 50,000 residents, and the creation of 20,000 mu (approximately 1,333 hectares) of wetlands, have restored over 30 km of natural shoreline.
Ornithologists have noted an expansion of habitat and increased bird diversity in the area, with Qionghai now ranked among the top birdwatching destinations in Sichuan Province. China, a key migration corridor for four of the nine major global flyways, has established more than 2,200 protected wetlands and 82 wetlands of international importance, maintaining stable wetland coverage in line with international environmental obligations. -0-
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