Rare! National First and Second-Class Protected Animals Forage Together

On March 15th, observation personnel recorded the scene of 4 national first-class protected animals, the white-necked long-tailed pheasant, and 1 national second-class protected animal, the white egret juvenile, foraging together in the Zi Yun Peak section of the Mingxi County National Nature Reserve in Fujian Province.

The Mingxi County Wild Flora and Fauna Protection Management Station expert told reporters that the scene of two different precious bird species foraging together is extremely rare.

It is known that the white-necked long-tailed pheasant is a native Chinese bird and is listed in the 'Catalogue of Key Wild Animals in China', belonging to national first-class protected animals. It is mainly distributed in Jiangxi, Anhui south, Zhejiang west, Fujian north, Hunan, Guizhou east and Guangdong north of the Yangtze River. The white egret is mainly distributed in Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan, Hunan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, Jiangxi, Hubei and Hainan in China, belonging to national second-class protected animals.

The forest coverage rate of Mingxi County, Fujian Province, reaches 81.97%, and the ecological environment is good. A total of 300 species of birds have been recorded in the county, accounting for 60% of those in Fujian Province. Among them, national first-class protected birds include the yellow-throated hornbill, white-necked long-tailed pheasant, eastern white stork, and black-eyed black duck, while national second-class protected birds include the white egret and mandarin duck, accounting for 34 species. A good ecological environment has created 'a paradise for birds', and the local area attracts more than 20 countries of bird-watching tourists every year, and has become one of the most important bird-watching bases in China.