The river tern is a freshwater bird native to India and East Asia. In recent years, a rapid population decline of the species has occurred due to human disturbance and dam constructions.

The species is listed as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and it is also under state protection in China.

In China, river terns are only spotted in Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. According to an investigation in March, the population of the spotted river terns decreased from 13 in 2015 to seven in 2019 along the Yingjiang River.

River terns are very picky when choosing their habitats. Since they are almost found exclusively near flat freshwater, the rapids caused by hydropower plants drive them away.

Therefore, controlling the water flow from hydropower plants is crucial in protecting this endangered species. Although flow control would inevitably damage the hydropower device, the local government decided to discharge water under the premise that bird nests were safe.

Investigators found six out of the seven river terns have built their nests along the river.

"We think we are saving a species that is about to disappear in China, so we want to protect the entire habitat and we are working on this. The birds might take their friends and children back here to reproduce. We do not only want to protect the seven birds but also to make the whole environment better and bring more river terns to Yingjiang," said Ban Dingying, head of the Yingjiang Bird Observation Association.

(Cover image via VCG.)

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