On December 28, 2019, two rare spoon-billed sandpiper chicks were successfully hatched at WWT Slimbridge in Gloucestershire, England.

As one of the critically endangered species, there are only about 200 breeding pairs of spoon-billed sandpipers left in the world. According to IUCN, this species was declining by 26 percent per year between 2000 to 2009.

Conservationists in WWT Slimbridge decided to help spoon-billed sandpipers in 2011. After eight years trying to coax these birds to breed, conservationists have successfully hatched two spoon-billed sandpipers. 

According to WWT Conservation Breeding Manager Nigel Jarrett, "This is a huge breakthrough. Spoonie numbers are dangerously low but if we can sustain them in captivity then we can ensure that this marvellous bird will never vanish completely.”

The successfully hatched spoon-billed sandpipers have marked the increasing attention of animal conservation. 

(Editor: Wan Hailun)

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