Endangered ducks are diving in Hebei

A flock of Baer's pochard, a critically endangered species of duck, were spotted recently in Baiyangdian Lake in Xiong'an New Area, Hebei province. It was the first time the species has been found in the lake during breeding season.

The Baer's pochard (Aythya baeri), a diving duck, mainly lives in lakes rich in aquatic plants, such as reeds and rushes.

It was listed as a critically endangered species in 2012 on the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, or IUCN. It was also listed as the country's highest-level protected wild animal last year.

Experts from the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hebei will continue to monitor their activities in Baiyangdian to see if they will reproduce.