Whooper swans paint pretty picture on lake

Biodiversity efforts boost birds' numbers

Thousands of whooper swans have descended on Qinghai Lake, creating a pastoral picture on the misty water under the glow of a winter sunrise.

The migratory birds usually arrive at the end of September. About 4,000 of the birds have been landing at the lake since 2008, a sharp rise from the 1,000 that would spend winter at the lake before 2008.

The increase in population is largely thanks to the region's improved ecological environment, including expanded wetlands, rising water levels and more aquatic animals, said Wu Yonglin, who is in charge of biodiversity protection for the Qinghai Lake Natural Reserve.

Wu's team monitors the birds every two months during winter. In October, they spotted 1,772 whooper swans and 28 other bird species, totaling 41,177.

When the lake freezes in January, the swans will live around ice-free springs with abundant food, while all other migratory birds will leave.

About 30 volunteers, including herdsmen, Buddhist monks and nuns, have helped protect the birds and other wildlife since 2009. Experts offer training on how to distinguish between different birds, record their numbers and report abnormalities.

A seminar was held in 2010 to encourage the volunteers to use cameras to record the wildlife they see in daily life, Wu said.

The whooper swan, a second-class State-protected bird, breeds in North China and Russia's Siberia in spring and autumn.

Qinghai Lake has expanded for eight years in a row to 4,402 square kilometers. At an elevation of more than 3,000 meters, it is the largest inland saltwater lake in China and received 1 million visitors this year.

The swans are now the crown jewel of the lake's famous Bird Island, a habitat for varied bird species, which is most plentiful in May.

Bird-watching

To boost tourism over the winter, on Nov 24 authorities opened a railway link between the provincial capital, Xining, and Bird Island. Every Saturday, people can take a day trip for 120 yuan ($19) a person, including transportation, the ticket to the island and lunch.

Travel agent Xiao Qihe, said people need to book the trip early, as each train can take only 45 people, and it operates on a first-come first-served basis. Visitors are mostly photographers, outdoor enthusiasts and parents with children.

People can learn more about the habits of swans and are taught not to disturb the birds or litter on the island, Xiao said.

Growing grassroots awareness also helps protect the habitat for the swans.

Tanchos, 47, is an ethnic Tibetan and runs a home guesthouse and a restaurant close to the lake. With more than 20 tents and 30 rooms, he receives 150 guests a day in peak season, usually in June.

In 2011, he accompanied more than 10 different groups of guests to see the swans. Familiar with the surroundings, he always found spots free of charge offering close-up observation.

This year, he expects a similar number of guests, although he has been told he is one of the few people who does not charge for bird-watching.

His village has more than 1,000 residents, mostly ethnic Tibetans, who do not eat fish and are kind to animals. Yet the scaleless carp, a special product of Qinghai Lake, is being clandestinely fished out, despite a government ban in 2001 on the endangered species under second-class State protection due to overfishing.

A scaleless carp weighing less than 1 kg can sell for 200 yuan.

Tanchos said he has met guests who wish to try the specialty. Driven by profits, some disregard the ban and fish for the carp for profit.

Song Shengtang, 56, a retired police officer in Xining, had similar experiences. He began receiving visitors on driving tours in 2006, charging 600 yuan a day. He saw very small carps were being fished, with authorities often turning a blind eye.

Stricter enforcement of the fishing ban should be adopted, Song said.

Although whooper swans do not eat scaleless carp, the fish is a vital link in the food chain as many other birds feed on it. Abundant carp can help small aquatic animals flourish and help restore the lake's biodiversity, said protection chief Wu Yonglin.

According to the Qinghai province department of agriculture and animal husbandry, more than 35,000 tons of scaleless carp live in the lake, 13.5 times the amount in 2002.

The province dealt with 34 violations of the fishing ban, confiscated 4,422 kg of illegal harvests, and destroyed 4,500 pieces of fishing equipment this year, Xinhua News Agency reported on Nov 28.