Henan’s black stork population hit new high

Henan Daily

Zhengzhou: Following the first recorded sighting of velvet scoters, new discoveries in bird monitoring have been made at the Yellow River Wetland in Mengjin county of Luoyang city, Central China’s Henan province.

Researchers at the wetland have recently monitored 95 endangered black storks, a species under China’s first-class national protection. Known as the “panda of the bird world” due to its rarity, the black stork is a symbol of endangered species. This marks the largest number of black storks ever recorded in the Mengjin Yellow River Wetland Reserve, also a new record in Henan.

The black stork is a treasure bird, known for its large size and graceful appearance. It has long, red legs and beak, and its black feathers shimmer with a beautiful metallic sheen under the sunlight, making it a sight to behold. It is a globally endangered species and wildlife under first-class state protection. The black stork mainly inhabits lakes, marshes, and rivers, requiring high-quality habitats with clear water, abundant food, and minimal human disturbance.

In recent years, Mengjin has been continuously advancing the national strategy for ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, while also strengthening wetland conservation and the restoration of bird habitats, sobird diversity at the Mengjin Yellow River Wetland has steadily increased. A total of 331 bird species have been recorded so far, including 73 species under national key protection, attracting lots of experts and birdwatchers to observe and photograph them.