Critically endangered green peacocks spotted in SW China

This photo taken on March 16, 2024 shows a peacock in the Zhenkang Nanpenghe provincial nature reserve in Zhenkang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua)

KUNMING, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A total of five rare green peacocks were captured on March 16 by infrared cameras in the Zhenkang Nanpenghe provincial nature reserve in Zhenkang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, according to the management and protection bureau of the reserve.

Close inspection confirmed that the five peacocks were from the same flock. About 10 flocks of green peacocks have been monitored in the reserve to date, totaling around 48 individuals, according to the bureau.

Green peacocks are the only native peacock species in China, and they are currently only found in Yunnan. They are categorized as national first-class key protected wild animals and are a critically endangered species.

Monitoring of the green peacock population in Zhenkang started in 2015, and a male peacock was first spotted by an infrared camera in 2018. Since 2019, green peacock activity in the reserve has become more frequent, and the number of monitored populations has gradually increased.

In 2023, up to eight peacocks were captured in a single picture. In addition, green peacock chicks have been spotted many times in the reserve, with up to four in one picture.

Over 3 million yuan (about 0.42 million U.S. dollars) has been invested since 2020 in efforts to carry out green peacock population monitoring, habitat restoration and protection.

This photo taken on March 16, 2024 shows a peacock in the Zhenkang Nanpenghe provincial nature reserve in Zhenkang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua)

This photo taken on March 16, 2024 shows a peacock in the Zhenkang Nanpenghe provincial nature reserve in Zhenkang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua)