(file photo)
Herons living in north China typically build nests hidden in
thick patches of grass or endangered shoals where human beings
cannot set foot. However, more than 100 herons living near the
Dalinoer Lake in Hexigten League of northern China’s Inner Mongolia
Autonomous Region have moved their homes into the trees. According
to the local nature reserve administrator, this sight is quite
rare.
The heron is the state’s second-level protected animal. They
like strolling near lakes and in marshes; they stand alone in
shallow water, waiting for the opportune moment to catch fish and
other aquatic creatures.
Vice Director of the Dalinoer Nature Reserve Administration Song
Lijun said that it was the first time for him to see herons
building nests in the trees. He made a phone call to relevant
experts for consultation and he was told that this phenomenon is
rare in the north of China. It is speculated that the heron
population in the reserve has increased by a big margin, so they
were forced to broaden the sphere for making nests, said the
experts.
The Dalinoer Lake and its surroundings constitute a state-level
nature reserve, serving as habitats for a large variety of
migratory birds.
(China.org.cn by Zhang Tingting June 1, 2007)
