China has just released 25 milu deer, a species under first-class state protection in China, into the wild successfully. According to China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA), the population of milu deer in China is now 8,000, basically achieving the goal of restoring the species' population.

The milu deer, also known as the Pere David's deer, is considered one of the most successfully reintroduced species, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It used to be common in eastern China, but went extinct due to overhunting and habitat loss. In 1985, the species was reintroduced from the United Kingdom to China, and the population gradually increased under protection.

Milu deer now mainly inhabit three places in China: Beijing Nanhaizi Milu Deer Park, Dafeng Milu Deer National Nature Reserve in east China's Jiangsu Province and Tian'e'zhou Milu Deer Nature Reserve in central China's Hubei Province. Since 1993, many healthy milu deer have been released into the wild, with staff members of the three locations tracking their activities to protect them.

Read More:

Into the Wild: The return of the deer king

Why can milu deer thrive in the wild despite mating with cousins?

Milu deer: A homecoming story

(All images via VCG)

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