China Provides Escort for White Swans Returning to Siberia
In the Shanxi Plain Yellow River Wetland, white swans practiced take-off and landing on the water surface, preparing for their long-distance migration. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Feihang.
Xinhua News Agency Taiyuan March 12th (Xinhua correspondents Lu Mengqi, Wang Feihang) As the temperature continues to rise, tens of thousands of white swans are their wintering in China and returning to Siberia in flocks and teams. Various provinces along the route have issued emergency notices, severely cracking down on bird-related crimes, and specifically arranged personnel for observation to protect these 'old friends'.
White swans have been listed as a national secondary protected animal, belonging to the globally vulnerable species. Shanxi Provincial Nature Reserve Engineer Zhang Longsheng said that white swans mainly come to China through three migration routes, the east route flying along the coast from Siberia to Shandong Bohai and Yellow River estuary, the west route flying from Europe to Xinjiang Bayin Brooks Lake and Qinghai Lake, and the middle route passing through Mongolia to Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi and Henan.
It is conservatively estimated that more than 20,000 white swans migrate from Siberia to China for winter, with over 10,000 of them gathering in the Yellow River Wetland between Shanxi Pinglu County and Henan Sanmenxia City every winter.
In the Shanxi Plain Yellow River Wetland, several white swans were playing on the water surface. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Feihang.
Pinglu County Wild Plant and Animal Protection Station Director Yang Yunge recalled that since the early 1980s, white swans have been wintering here, initially only 2,000 plus, last year reached about 1.2.
As early as 2012, Pinglu County was awarded the title of 'China's Swan Capital' by the China Wildlife Protection Association. To protect the white swans, Pinglu County has successively shut down polluting enterprises around the wetland, invested several hundred million RMB to improve the ecosystem, and established a team of over 100 people to protect them, and installed a remote video monitoring system. In addition, Pinglu County has continuously compensated farmers 40 per year for the wetland surrounding work for six years.
'We have a responsibility to protect these white swans, they are part of the natural ecosystem and also part of our happy life.' Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Feihang, who has been patrolling the Pinglu Yellow River Wetland for more than 10 years, said that in the past few months, he had thrown away about 100 tons of corn and cabbage that they liked to eat.
Due to the ice on the river surface, the swans found it difficult to forage, Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Feihang was feeding the swans.
Based on this huge 'Swan Lake', Pinglu County is currently constructing a Yellow River Golden Triangle Pinglu White Swan Eco-Economic Demonstration Zone with an investment of 30 billion RMB, after the first phase is completed, it is expected to receive more than 500,000 tourists per year.
Besides issuing protection policies and increasing funding, China's continuously improving environment is the best 'protection' for the white swans' migration.
'A beautiful ecosystem is the best home for the white swans, as China continues to promote ecological construction, there may be more white swans flying from Siberia to China for winter.' Zhang Longsheng said.
