HAIKOU, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Hainan, China's southernmost tropical province, plans to set up a new bee-eaters reserve, the second such reserve in the resort island, according to the wetland protection and management center in Haikou, Hainan's capital.
The new reserve, stretching 8.4 hectares at the lower reaches of Wuyuan River, will be the closest habitat for bee-eater birds to the city proper on the island.
More than 20 blue-tailed bee-eaters and blue-throated bee-eaters, which are species with important ecological, scientific and social research value in China, were first spotted in Haikou in May 2018.
This year the number of the birds surpassed 57 in May, the best observing season. "The Wuyuan River has become the best observation point for bee-eaters in Haikou," said Lu Gang, director of Haikou Duotan Wetland Research Institute.
A variety of rare animals, including second-class national protected animals such as red jungle fowl, Greater Coucal and shikra also roost in the area.
Once established, the conservation area in Wuyuan river basin will become Hainan's second wetland reserve for bee-eaters.
Hainan released a work plan in 2018 to initiated a campaign of ecological restoration in cities from 2018 to 2020. According to the plan, Hainan will solve the problems of environmental quality degradation, spatial disorder, historical and cultural heritage damage in the old urban areas, and repair damaged mountains, rivers, wetlands, and vegetation in a planned and systematic manner.
