Guangming Daily reporter Wan Majia
"In 2020, we conducted a total of 8 bird surveys in Longbao National Nature Reserve, and the latest survey results show that there were 7 new species added to the reserve this year, the number of bird species reached 121, and the number of birds reached a new high." Basang Cairen, director of the management station of Qinghai Longbao Nature Reserve, said that in the 36 years since its establishment, Longbao Nature Reserve has developed from the most primitive care to modern comprehensive monitoring, the background investigation and monitoring of biodiversity has been steadily carried out, and the natural ecological environment of the reserve has continued to improve.
According to Basang Tsering, the most recent bird survey was conducted from October 27 to October 29, 2020. In this survey alone, 43 species of birds were recorded in 9 orders and 17 families. Among them, there are 2 species of national first-level protected animals, namely black-necked cranes and bearded vultures, and 6 species of national second-level protected animals, namely gray cranes, giant eagles, hunting falcons, kestrels, grassland eagles, and newly added bird wedge-tailed Burrow.
Qinghai Longbao National Nature Reserve is the first national nature reserve established in Qinghai Province, located in Longbao Town, Yushu City, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, with a total area of 100 square kilometers. Located in the core area of Sanjiangyuan, the reserve is one of the highest plateau wetlands and protected areas in the world, with typical inland wetlands and water ecosystems.
"Longbao focuses on wetland protection, is known for its special geographical location, beautiful ecological environment and the ideal habitat and breeding ground of the black-necked crane, a rare bird in China, and is praised by China's bird experts as the 'hometown of black-necked cranes' and the first black-necked crane breeding and protecting area in China." Basang Tse-jen said that the wetlands in the reserve are densely swamped and rich in wetland resources, which have long provided sufficient food and high-quality habitat for migratory birds such as black-necked cranes, and the number of black-necked cranes has reached 116, and black-necked cranes have been found to have begun to cluster.
"The black-necked crane wild population is sparse, with a global total of only about 5,000, making it a rare bird in the world. Both the International Red Book of Birds and the Convention on International Trade and Cites International Convention on Endangered Species (CITES) list it as an endangered species in urgent need of rescue, and China lists it as a first-class protected wildlife. Building on the experience gained from previous surveys, we conducted this survey with The Lombow Reserve at the end of October when the Black-necked Crane may be clustered. In the actual survey, it was found that they began to cluster, and the number of black-necked cranes was relatively large, which provided timely dynamic data for the protected area, so that the management department could carry out ecological protection and scientific management in a timely and effective manner. Yang Fang, a technician at Qinghai Duomei Ecological Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., introduced to reporters.
According to Basang Cairen, in recent years, the station has carried out long-term bird monitoring, and no less than 5 species of birds have been monitored in the reserve every year, and this year it has reached as many as 7 species, namely the cockroach duck, the crested diving duck, the white-loin grass sandpiper, the wedge-tailed Burrow, the smoke-bellied hairy-footed swallow, the red-winged whirling geek, and the Tibetan snow finch. This is a good illustration of the continuous improvement of Longbao's ecological environment.
After years of unremitting efforts, the number of bird population resources in Longbao National Nature Reserve has increased year by year. According to statistics, the number of bird resource populations has increased from 30 species in 12 orders and 20 families established in 1984 to 121 species in 16 orders and 36 families in 2020. The number of black-necked cranes has increased from 22 in 1984 to 216 at its peak, with an average of 170 to 180 per year; the number of spotted geese has also increased from hundreds to more than 10,000, and the number of black storks, red mallard ducks, bean geese and other bird resources has also increased significantly. At the same time, as the ecological environment of the nature reserve continues to improve, various wild animals such as snow leopards, white-lipped deer, red foxes, and brown bears have been monitored in the surrounding area, and more than 500 white-lipped deer have appeared in the spectacular scene.
Guangming Daily (12th edition, November 20, 2020)
Source: Guangming Network - Guangming Daily