Shijiazhuang, May 16 (Xinhua) -- The frequent appearance of rare animals reflects the ecological butterfly changes in China's Gyeonggi Province
Xinhua News Agency reporters Chen Zhonghua, Cao Guochang, Qi Leijie, and Gong Zhihong
A well-sturdy, strong North China leopard recently appeared in an infrared camera video set up in Hebei Mooliang National Nature Reserve. From November 2022 to February 20, 2023, infrared cameras collected video information from North China Leopard more than 10 times.
This is a screenshot of the North China leopard video captured by the infrared camera of the Camelbeam Reserve. Xinhua News Agency
North China leopard is one of the nine subspecies of the world's golden leopard, mainly distributed in North China, is a unique subspecies of the golden leopard in China, and is also a national first-class key protected wild animal and a rare and endangered species in the world.
Located at the junction of Hebei and Shanxi provinces, the main peak is 2,281 meters above sea level, and is the highest peak in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province, with dense forests, shrubs and herbs. Since 2017, more than 100 infrared cameras have been deployed in the Moose Liang Reserve, covering an altitude of 776 meters to 2281 meters, focusing on monitoring the living status and changes of large and medium-sized mammals.
"The North China leopard is an important indicator species, and its presence and frequency gradually increase, indicating that the camel beam ecosystem is improving and biodiversity is stable." Li Jianping, deputy director of the management and protection center of Hebei Mooliang National Nature Reserve, said.
At present, the camel beam has become home to many wild animals. Li Jianping said that there are 5 species of first-class protected animals such as leopards, black storks and golden eagles, 34 species of national second-class protected animals such as goshawks, impalas, and kites, as well as common wild animals such as wild boars, roe deer, beavers, red foxes, raccoon dogs, pig badgers, and Mongolian rabbits.
The remains of a gull in Kangbanoer National Wetland Park, Kangbao County, Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, July 6, 2022. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Luo Xuefeng
"There are more camel trees and more grass, more roe deer, wild boar, rabbit and other animals, and the food chain is gradually complete." Li Jianping said.
The return of the "big cat" is a microcosm of the restoration of vegetation in the forest and grasslands of Taihang Mountain and Yanshan Mountain in Hebei Province and the improvement of the ecological environment.
Hebei Province is the only province in China that combines plateaus, mountains, hills, plains, lakes, seashores and deserts. In recent years, Hebei has accelerated environmental pollution control, promoted green and low-carbon transformation, continuously improved the ecological environment, and enriched biodiversity.
Tian Jianhui, chief engineer of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hebei Province, said that over the years, key ecological projects such as the greening of the Yanshan Taihang Mountain and the construction of the Sanbei shelter forest have been continuously implemented, and the forest coverage rate of the Taihang Mountain has increased from 11% in 1994 to 32% now, providing a good breeding habitat for wild animals.
"With the forest conserving water sources, there is a vivid picture of green water flowing for a long time, wild beasts multiplying, and birds flying." Wang Zhanhua, director of the Forest Resources Management Division of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hebei Province, said that the next step will be to improve the quality of forests, open up the passage of large-scale wildlife in mountainous areas, and further do a good job in the protection of forest resources and biodiversity protection.
Baiyangdian is an important wetland ecosystem in North China, dotted with more than 140 divine berths, which are resting, breeding and wintering grounds on the migration routes of migratory birds in China. After pollution control, water replenishment, dredging and dredging, the water quality of Baiyangdian has been raised from Class V., which was seriously polluted at the beginning of the establishment of Xiong'an New Area in Hebei Province in 2017, to Class III. today, and the water level is stable at 6.5 meters to 7 meters.
The water quality of Baiyangdian has improved, the water surface is wider, and many wild birds use it not only as a place to stay, but even as a home for breeding. According to statistics, there are currently 252 species of wild birds in Xiong'an, an increase of 46 species compared with before the establishment of the new area; The number of fish species in the area has recovered to 46, and indigenous fish such as salmon, medaka and whitebait have reappeared, and fish biodiversity has reached a high level.
Blue-headed duck and white-eyed duck in Baiyangdian (July 22, 2022). Photo by Xing Guangli, reporter of Xinhua News Agency
Liu Xun, director of the Wildlife Protection and Wetland Management Division of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hebei Province, said that the globally endangered species of the blue-headed loon duck was found to settle and thrive in Baiyangdian, and in 2022, the blue-headed duck was photographed for the first time in and out of the reeds.
The butterfly change of the ecological environment has attracted more and more rare animals to Hebei to "check in", and animal and plant species that have not been seen for many years have frequently "appeared": Hengshui Lake, the largest inland freshwater lake in North China, has found more than 300 blue-headed loon ducks at one time; Caofeidian Wetland in Tangshan City, where "rare visitors" such as Oriental white storks, white pelicans, curly-feathered pelicans, and warty nose swans visit; In the Gangnan Reservoir in Pingshan County, Shijiazhuang City, large birds of prey and white-tailed sea eagles known as "tigers among birds" appeared in groups...
Staff at the Cangzhou Wildlife Rescue Center in Hebei Province release a recovered white crane in the Haixing Wetland (April 30, 2023). Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Fu Xinchun)
Hebei Saihanba National Forest Park has the largest plantation farm in China, with more than one million acres of forest and sea, and has become a treasure trove of biodiversity: there are 256 species of vertebrates, 548 species of insects, 625 species of plants, and a large number of precious ancient plant species.
In recent years, Hebei has taken multiple measures to improve the level of biodiversity conservation and ensure that important ecosystems, biological species and biological genetic resources are fully protected. Liu Fengting, secretary of the party group and director of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hebei Province, said that the province has identified 278 nature reserves of various types, with a total area of 14,034 square kilometers, accounting for 7.43% of Hebei's total area. More than 60% of the province's species and 80% of rare and endangered species and their habitats are effectively protected.
From 2022 to 2025, Hebei will use a variety of methods such as routine surveys, special surveys, infrared camera surveys, and drone technology surveys to carry out the investigation of terrestrial wild animals under national key protection distributed in its jurisdiction and the synchronous investigation of wetland wildlife in the province, providing important support for biodiversity conservation in Hebei.