China's southern island province of Hainan plans to set up a new bee-eater reserve, the second such reserve in the tropical island, according to the wetland protection and management center in Haikou, the provincial capital city.

The new reserve, stretching 8.4 hectares at the lower reaches of the Wuyuan River, will be the closest habitat for bee-eaters to the city proper on the island.

More than 20 blue-tailed bee-eaters and blue-throated bee-eaters, which are both protected animals in China, were first spotted in Haikou in May 2018.

This year the number was nearly 60 in May. "The Wuyuan River has become the best observation point for bee-eaters in the city," said Lu Gang, director of Haikou Duotan Wetland Research Institute.

A variety of second-class state protected animals such as the red junglefowl, the greater coucal and the shikra also roost in the area.

Hainan released a work plan in 2018 to initiate a campaign of ecological restoration in cities from 2018 to 2020. According to the plan, Hainan will solve the problems of environmental quality degradation, spatial disorder, historical and cultural heritage damage in the old urban areas, and also restore damaged mountains, rivers, wetlands and vegetation in a planned and systematic manner.

(Cover: The blue-throated bee-eater. /VCG Photo)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com)