Northeastern China's Jilin plays host to rare water birds

More than 30 Chinese mergansers were recently spotted in Hongshi National Forest Park in Huadian city, in Northeast China's Jilin province, according to local reports.

Experts said that Chinese mergansers are listed as national first-level protected wild animals, as well as an endangered species on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are hailed as "giant pandas" among birds. China currently has only just over 2,000 Chinese mergansers.

Early to mid-April each year, Chinese mergansers come to Hongshi forest park and mate and give birth to offspring there, according to officials from the Hongshi forestry department. They said that following years of observation, they have basically understood the water birds’ living habits.

Officials said that over the past years, Hongshi forestry department has made great efforts to protect the birds, such as setting up warning signs at protected areas, improving the management of forest resources in the birds' habitats, as well as maintaining the original ecological characteristics of the habitats in cooperation with other government departments.

They said they will also develop a water route for bird watching, so as to raise the public's awareness of the need to nurture and protect birds.