Thirteen deputies to Hainan provincial people's congress have submitted a motion calling for a nature reserve for Eld's deer, a rare breed unique to Hainan Island, to be enlarged to ensure its healthy propagation.

The deputies suggested enlarging Ganshiling Eld's Deer Nature Reserve in Sanya City on the southern tip of the island to 1,000 hectares so it could accommodate 1,500 head. Currently, the number of Eld's deer in the nature reserve has increased from 20 to 41.

"By doing so, the healthy propagation of Eld's deer in the next decade can be guaranteed," said the deputies in the proposal aired during the first session of the third congress.

Due to limitations, such as overcrowding and the small number of the endangered species, in-breeding had become a serious problem in Datian Nature Reserve, another main habitat on the central-western coast of Hainan, according to the deputies.

The deputies warned in-breeding could lead to the destruction of the species in the event of an epidemic.

Eld's deer used to roam over the island, but their numbers were reduced to 26 in 1976 due to the deteriorating ecological environment and increased human activity.

A range of measures taken to protect the species in the last two decades, including the establishment of Datian Nature Reserve and intensified scientific research on methods to propagate more Eld's deer, has led to an increase in the number of Eld's deer. There are now 1,100 head of Eld's deer in Datian Nature Reserve.

In 1997, Hainan Provincial Endangered Wildlife Rescue and Propagation Center brought 20 Eld's deer from Datian Nature Reserve to Ganshiling in a bid to study problems on the adaptability of Eld's deer outside their natural habitat.

(eastday.com January 28, 2003)