Great effort to revert farmland to wetland has well paid off as over 300 swans are wintering at the Manas National Wetland Park in northwest China, almost 10 times the number in 2011.

The Manas wetland happens to be an important stop along a migration route for birds flying south, but the massive expansion of farmland and pastoral areas in 1990s has greatly damaged the ecosystem there, meaning that the number of migrating birds declined sharply.

2019 marks the 11th year since the local government launched the project to resume wetland coverage. About 200 million yuan was invested into the project and over 4,600 hectares of wetland has been created. Now, the park has become the home to more than 300 species of wild animal, and 200 species of wetland plants. 

Despite of ecological reconstruction, staff in the park also make full preparation every year to welcome the migratory birds by scattering enough food and conducting all-weather patrols to protect them from poachers. 

The success of environmental protection in this area means the number and variety of wild animals are expected to grow in the years to come.