Feature: Wetland in Beijing welcomes "living fossil" Chinese merganser duck

BEIJING, March 17 (Xinhua) -- Floating on a reservoir in Pinggu, northeast of Beijing, two couples of Chinese merganser ducks, nicknamed "living fossils with wings" have become the latest proof of the continuous local efforts in ecological protection.

The drake of the Chinese merganser wears long crown feathers and has prominent scaly patterns on both sides, for which the species is also called "scaly-sided merganser", while the hen wears gray scaly patterns on her back and darker ones on both sides, and long crown feathers of reddish-brown color.

This beautiful and rare waterfowl has been living on the planet for over ten million years. It is called a "living fossil" and it's an indicative species of the wetlands' ecological health. At present, it is estimated that no more than 3,000 wild specimens of this bird are left in the world. It has been listed in the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and it's also under first-grade state protection in China. Its name is defined by location.

According to Jin Haiqing, wildlife monitor of Xiyu Reservoir with the Landscaping Bureau of Pinggu District, on the morning of March 8, some local bird watchers witnessed a merganser duck with extraordinary features. After being verified by the experts, two pairs of Chinese merganser ducks (Mergus squamatus) had been spotted at the reservoir.

Curiously, though Chinese mergansers follow the flock of ordinary mergansers during their migrations, they usually do not mix with the rest and stay apart, observed Jin, who told a Xinhua reporter that at the reservoir, their food, like other waterfowl, is small fish and loach.

Beijing is positioned at a key point along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, the greatest flyway for migratory birds in the world, thus it is a key resort for the winged travelers to rest and feed. In recent years, thanks to the tireless efforts of strengthening protection, the ecological environment has been improving and more and more bird species have been observed around the city.

Experts pointed out that the arrival of these rare ducks was the result of effectively protecting the original wilderness of the wetland around the reservoir, and taking effective measures to prevent poaching, electrofishing, and other illegal acts that may very likely harm the wildlife.

The local government of Pinggu adopted the concept of "maintaining the original ecology" for the reservoir wetlands, set up fences to prevent illegal poaching and electrofishing from causing severe damage to the biosphere, and deploys local monitors to track and register biodiversity at important sites, said Zhang Yufang, deputy director of the Forest Chief System Office and deputy director of the Landscaping Bureau in Pinggu District.

On March 13, Zhang Yufang and staff with the bureau came to Xiyu Reservoir for an inspection. He told Xinhua that in order to protect the birds that pass through the region, the bureau has also stepped up the monitoring and inspection of poaching and other illegal activities.

Over the past weekend, more than 100 birdwatchers and photography enthusiasts rushed to the site to see the Chinese merganser duck, Jin told a reporter during a Xinhua live streaming program. In order to keep the birds from being disturbed, local bird lovers also spontaneously organized WeChat groups, calling on everyone to watch and photograph birds in a civilized manner, he said.

Peng Yuzhong, a local bird watcher and photographer, was the first one to recognize the Chinese merganser at the reservoir. He and his wife came to observe the winged travelers on a daily basis since the migration season began. He believes that the nearly intact state of the reservoir wetland attracts the Chinese mergansers.

"To protect the environment is for humanity to coexist in harmony with mother nature", he commented.

If the intact ecosystem of the wetlands is to be better protected and restored gradually, it can be expected that more and more species are likely to make an appearance in the city, according to the experts.