China's southernmost city of Sansha champions marine conservation

The biodiversity in and around the island city of Sansha in south China's Hainan Province has witnessed significant improvement in recent years, from breathtaking coral reef coverage to a resurgence of endangered marine species, thanks to local efforts to protect the ecosystem.

Green sea turtles are a first-class protected species in China, with their breeding peak occurring from May to September. This year, 20 turtle nests were found on the islands and reefs of the Xisha Islands in Sansha City.

As the breeding season commences, local fishermen have stepped up monitoring of the turtles' nesting activities to enhance the survival rate of newborn hatchlings.

"The monitoring system captures real-time information about turtles coming ashore to lay eggs and sends alert messages to our mobile phones," said Yu Yangfei, a staff member from the city's Marine Reserve Administration. "We usually visit the site with the fishermen the next morning to verify if the turtles have actually laid eggs."

Over the past five years, the number of natural nestings by green sea turtles on the islands and reefs of Sansha has exceeded 1,300. Patrol staff said the work brings them great satisfaction and pride when they encounter little turtles entering the sea.

"Every time we go on patrol and find little turtles coming out, we are very excited to see their tracks," said Huang Cheng, a member of the local turtle patrol team. "We feel a sense of achievement by protecting a nest of turtles if they make their way to the sea."

Due to challenges such as the scarcity of freshwater, afforestation on the islands and reefs has been a daunting task over the years.

However, after years of dedicated work, Sansha City has nurtured over 85,000 saplings and successfully planted more than 53,000 of them. On some of the islands and reefs, green coverage has reached over 90 percent, and these figures are on the rise.

Meanwhile, a total of 78 species of sea birds have been recorded over China's vast seas, with more than 40 of them roaming Sansha's islands and reefs.

Coral reef restoration demonstration areas have been established on the Yongxing and Qilianyu islands, where more than 260,000 coral seedlings will soon be transplanted to step up conservation efforts.

"We will continue to gather efforts from various departments and relevant scientific research institutions to jointly protect the marine environment in our city," said Zhang Chenglong, deputy director of the Sansha Marine and Fishery Bureau.

(Cover: People guard the green sea turtle that lays eggs in Sansha City, Hainan Province, south China, August 27, 2023. /CFP)