The picture shows that a group of egrets fly over the man-made mangrove forest in Chenghai of Shantou City, south China's Guangdong Province, February 23, 2003. The city has planted 17,875 mu (1,192 hectares) of mangrove since May of 1998 to improve environment in its coastal areas.
The beautiful egret is often called the environment-testing bird by environmentalists all over the world. The name "egret" applies to 61 species out of 17 genera, of which 21 species out of 10 genera inhabit south China's provinces as far south as the Yangtze River.
(Edited by China.org.cn February 25, 2003)
