(ECNS) -- Napa Lake in Shangri-La, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, has become an important habitat for wetland birds, with 55 species and more than 2,000 birds breeding there this summer, according to local conservation authorities.
The seasonal wetland, at an average elevation of 3,260 meters, is part of the Napa Lake Nature Reserve established in 1984.
Covering 2,400 hectares, including 2,083 hectares designated as wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, the reserve has seen years of conservation efforts improve its ecosystem, transforming it from a wintering site into a breeding habitat.
The population of black-necked cranes, a nationally protected species, has also grown from 61 in 1984 to a record 573 in 2026, with some birds now staying year-round. Since 2019 when wetland birds were first recorded breeding in large numbers at the lake, the number and diversity of breeding species have continued to increase.
Authorities will continue monitoring bird populations, limiting human disturbance and strengthening patrols to protect the wetland habitat.
(By Helen Mo & intern Liu Shuangjing)
京公网安备 11010202009201号