China steps up efforts in migratory bird conservation

Black-necked cranes fly at the Caohai National Nature Reserve in the Yi, Hui and Miao Autonomous County of Weining, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Feb. 10, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin)

BEIJING, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Measures across China to protect migratory birds in recent years have yielded tangible outcomes, an official said on Friday.

Solid progress has been made in revising laws and regulations concerning wildlife protection, with 394 types of birds incorporated into a national list of specially protected wild animals, Wang Weisheng with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration told a press conference.

While ascertaining bird migration routes nationwide, the country has ramped up the monitoring of bird habitats to bolster conservation, Wang said. The official added that universities and institutes have been mobilized to support research on bird migration.

Regarding law enforcement, over 20 relevant departments are working together to address the illegal hunting and trafficking of migratory birds.

The country has also worked to boost cooperation with other countries along the migration routes on aspects such as information sharing, scientific research and the pairing of nature reserves, according to Wang.

Thanks to these efforts, the ecological conditions along bird migration routes and at stopover sites have improved, while cases of poaching have seen a noticeable decrease, the official said.

China is home to nearly one-sixth of all bird species globally, and four of the world's nine major bird migration routes run through the country. ■