Rare pelicans flourish at Shanghai wetland reserve

Three Dalmatian pelicans at the Jiuduansha Wetland Nature Reserve on Feb 14. [Photo by Chen Tengyi/For China Daily]

A record 26 rare Dalmatian pelicans were recently observed at the Jiuduansha Wetland Nature Reserve in Shanghai, highlighting the city's progress in biodiversity conservation and ecological protection.

The sighting follows two separate encounters in January, when a total of 17 Dalmatian pelicans were recorded at the reserve. The species had last been seen there in November 2021, when a single bird was spotted.

The Dalmatian pelican, a first-class nationally protected species, is the largest of all pelican species and one of the world's biggest waterfowl. It measures 1.6 to 1.8 meters in length and weighs more than 10 kilograms. Adults can have a wingspan of up to 3 meters and weigh as much as 15 kg.

"Dalmatian pelicans typically inhabit inland lakes, rivers, marshes and coastal areas with minimal human interference and high-quality ecological conditions," said Zhou Taoye, a staff member at the reserve's management affairs center. "They have strict environmental requirements and primarily feed on fish, crustaceans, mollusks and amphibians."

While pelicans are familiar to the public — they are often seen in zoos and are known for their distinctive large beaks — the East Asian population of Dalmatian pelicans is extremely rare. Breeding in western Mongolia and wintering along China's southeastern coast, their numbers were estimated at around 160 in early 2024.

Ma Zhijun, a professor of avian ecology at Fudan University's School of Life Sciences, said human hunting in their Mongolian breeding grounds and habitat loss due to human activity are the main causes of the species' decline.

Jiuduansha Wetland Nature Reserve, located where the Yangtze River meets the East China Sea, is an uninhabited estuarine wetland with little human interference. Situated along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, it serves as a critical wintering site and stopover point for migratory waterfowl. In 2023, it was designated a nationally important wetland and included in the first batch of nationally significant habitats for terrestrial wildlife.

By June last year, the reserve was home to 63 species of higher plants, 126 species of macrofauna and 135 species of fish, according to Zhou. Additionally, 236 bird species have been recorded in the reserve and surrounding waters, including 10 species under first-class national protection and 41 under second-class protection.

Shanghai has strengthened wetland and ecological conservation efforts in recent years. In July, the city's Chongming Dongtan Bird National Nature Reserve was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List as part of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase II). In December, 18 Dalmatian pelicans were observed there.

In October, Shanghai introduced a special wetland conservation plan focusing on six key areas: protection, restoration, management, research and monitoring, public engagement and sustainable use.