China to launch three-year campaign to strengthen bird protection

China is preparing to launch a three-year nationwide effort to improve bird protection. The campaign will mainly focus on conserving birds and their habitats, fighting illegal hunting, and raising public awareness.

The initiative is jointly launched by 17 government agencies, including the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. 

China will strengthen field patrols and monitoring efforts for birds. Patrols will be fully carried out across the four major migratory flyways passing through China and 1,140 key sites and areas with frequent bird activity.

The country will advance the development of a bird protection and monitoring network, conduct wintering waterbird surveys, and restore critical habitats.

 China will tighten the management of artificial bird breeding and intensify crackdowns on illegal activities such as bird poaching and trading. 

Public awareness efforts will also be expanded, including various educational activities aimed at fostering a culture of love and protection for birds.

As one of the countries with the highest bird diversity in the world, China is home to over 1,500 bird species, or 13 percent of the global total, and more than 800 of these are migratory. Four of the nine major migratory flyways worldwide pass through the country.

China places high importance on bird conservation and has launched various initiatives. These efforts have led to notable progress, including improvements in bird habitats and overall biodiversity preservation. In 2024, the number of overwintering waterfowl in China hit a record high.

(Cover: A pelican. /VCG)