The staff released the Yangtze crocodile.
On May 13, the launching ceremony of the 2021 Yangzi Crocodile Wild Release Activity was held in shuangkeng area of Jing County, Anhui Yangzi Crocodile National Nature Reserve.
On the same day, Anhui Yangzi Crocodile National Nature Reserve released 51 artificially bred Yangzi crocodiles in the core habitat of Yangzi crocodile in Shuangkeng Area, Jing County.
The reserve plans to release 530 Yangzi crocodiles in the wild in 2021, the largest in the calendar year. The remaining 479 will be released into a number of precincts within the reserve in the future.
Before the release, the staff scans the electronic chip with the instrument to identify the individual information.
Yangzi crocodile is a rare species endemic to China and belongs to the national level key protected wild animals. At present, the number of wild Yangzi crocodile population is only about 200, which is in a critically endangered state, and it is necessary to accelerate the recovery process of wild Yangzi crocodile population.
According to reports, in the Anhui Yangzi Crocodile National Nature Reserve, the number of artificially bred Yangzi crocodiles has reached more than 15,000.
In order to expand the number of wild crocodile populations, in 2002, the former State Forestry Administration approved Anhui Province to implement the natural project of conservation and release of Yangtze crocodiles, and rapidly revitalized the wild Yangtze crocodile population by releasing artificially bred Yangtze crocodiles into the wild. The project is one of the 15 national wildlife rescue projects. From 2003 to 2020, Anhui Yangzi Crocodile National Nature Reserve has implemented 16 wild release activities, with a total of 508 Yangzi crocodiles released.
Released Yangtze crocodiles move in ponds.
According to the monitoring data, the previously released Yangtze crocodile has adapted to the local environment, restored its ability to survive in the natural environment, and begun to breed offspring. By the end of 2020, 20 eggs of Yangtze crocodiles released into the wild had been found in daily patrols, with a total of 366 eggs, and 215 juvenile crocodiles had naturally hatched.
Editor: Wang Bailing