Endangered crane spotted in north China's Tianjin

Migratory birds are seen in the Qilihai wetland nature reserve in Ninghe District of north China's Tianjin, March 2, 2022. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue)

TIANJIN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A Siberian white crane was spotted recently in the Qilihai wetland in the Ninghe District of north China's Tianjin Municipality, reflecting the improvement in local biodiversity after years of effort.

The crane was sighted by a research team from Tianjin Normal University during a field investigation. The Siberian white crane species has been listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with a global population of less than 4,000, according to the team leader, professor Zhao Dapeng.

The crane was sighted wading in the water alone while foraging. Its body is mainly white, with a red fore-crown and legs.

"It was conspicuous due to the tall body. We quickly identified it as a rare Siberian white crane," said Zhao.

Through a series of protection and restoration projects, the ecological environment and biodiversity of the Qilihai wetland have been significantly improved in recent years, making it an important transit station for migratory birds, according to Tian Xiujing, director of the management committee of Qilihai Wetland Nature Reserve.