Taking wings! Shanghai records nine new bird species
Shanghai has documented 527 avian species so far, with nine newly-recorded species last year, thanks to the city's improved ecological environment and growing public awareness about bird protection, local greenery authorities said on Monday.
Last year, 303 wild species of the feathered friends were observed in the city, and blue-throated bee-eater, Eurasian treecreeper and long-tailed tit were some "newcomers," according to the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.
Located at the estuary of the Yangtze River, Shanghai is an important stop on the migration route of birds from East Asia to Australia due to its coastal and inter-tidal zones.
Despite the rain, a bazaar as part of the Shanghai Bird-Loving Week at the Shanghai Botanical Garden in Xuhui District attracted many people.
Last year, a record number of oriental white storks under first-class state protection were spotted in the Chongming Dongtan National Nature Reserve, and wild red-crowned cranes were seen in the reserve for the first time.
The oriental white stork is listed as "endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
In recent years, Shanghai has beefed up efforts to establish wildlife habitats and nature reserves, including the Chongming reserve, the Jiuduansha Wetland Nature Reserve, as well as the Wusong River Bird Perch, Jinhai Wetland Park and Jiading Pengmen Wetland, which have become a paradise for birds and other wild animals, the bureau said.
Another view of the booth
The Shanghai Botanical Garden, Shanghai Zoo, Binjiang Forest Park, Gongqing Forest Park and Century Park have also drawn an increasing number of wild birds and recorded rare species frequently in recent times.
Meanwhile, the Shanghai Bird-Loving Week, in its 43rd edition, raised its curtain at the Shanghai Botanical Garden in Xuhui District on Monday.
Running through April 14, it is hosting a variety of activities such as a bazaar, a bird observation competition, exploration tours, and science popularization events to encourage the public to get involved in the protection of these feathered friends.
On Saturday, the city's annual bird observation competition will be held at Shanghai Zoo in Changning District, with 59 teams ready to record the number of birds observed in a certain time, and photography activities aimed at middle and primary school students will take place as well during the week.
A booth at the bazaar
A booth at the Shanghai Botanical Garden aims to raise awareness on wildlife protection.
Visitors at one of the bazaar booths.
