In an unprecedented event, the Liaoning Snake Island-Laotie Mountain National Nature Reserve recorded an astonishing 11,175 raptors in a single day during its autumn monitoring on Monday. This marks the first time in the Chinese mainland that over 10,000 raptors have been observed in a single day during the autumn migration season.
Located in the Lyushunkou District of Dalian City in northeast China’s Liaoning Province, the reserve is a crucial waypoint on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Raptors are the most common species among migratory birds in this area, making the reserve a vital sanctuary for these majestic birds of prey.
“The reserve began raptor monitoring in 2018, averaging over 60,000 raptors monitored every autumn,” said Wang Xiaoping, deputy director of the reserve’s administration. “Last autumn, we recorded a total of 85,567 raptors. As of September 23 this year, we have already recorded 43,449 migratory raptors. Monitoring the changes in raptor populations is crucial for assessing the ecological health of a region.”
The significant increase in raptor sightings is a positive indicator of the region’s ecological well-being. Raptors, being apex predators, play a vital role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. Their population trends can reflect the overall health of the environment.
In July, the Snake Island-Laotie Mountain biosphere reserve, as a key site for migratory birds along the coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This recognition highlights the global importance of the reserve in the conservation of migratory bird species.
As the autumn migration continues, the reserve expects to witness even more raptors passing through. The ongoing monitoring efforts not only contribute to biodiversity conservation but also provide valuable data for researchers and conservationists worldwide.
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Record number of raptors sighted in NE China's nature reserve
cgtn.com
