Large flocks of rare migratory birds from north China and Siberia have been arriving at Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province this week to spend the winter.
Sources with the state-level Poyang Lake Nature Reserve said the number of birds is increasing rapidly.
According to the sources, these birds include white cranes, grey cranes, swans and many other rare species.
Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, is located in the northern part of Jiangxi. From October to next April, which is usually a dry season, the lake normally sees the forming of nine stretches of shallow marshlands, providing an ideal habitat for migratory birds.
Statistics show that there are 310 species of birds in the region, with the total number of birds at roughly one million. More than 50 of the bird species are under state protection.
A recent survey indicates that the lake has accommodated almost 2,900 white cranes, a bird species near extinction, for more than ten winters. The figure accounts for 98 percent of the world's total white crane population.
A 22,400-hectare nature reserve was established in 1983 to better protect the birds and to enable scientific research into bird resources at the lake.
A system has been worked out by the administrative committee of the nature reserve offering incentives and penalties to protect the rare birds.
The reserve has opened a tourist area, attracting large numbers of domestic and overseas visitors each year.
(Xinhua 10/26/2000)
