Endangered Chinese egrets were discovered at a lagoon in Dongsha Atoll National Park during a bird survey carried out by conservationists between July and September, the Marine National Park Headquarters said Sept. 9.
“This illustrates that the Dongsha Island lagoons provide an ideal rest and feeding environment for migratory and wintering birds, and that the islands are an important stopover point for birds heading northward,” an MNPH official said.
“Many birds are attracted to the islands during the migratory season in the spring and fall because of their suitable location in the northern part of the South China Sea and the unspoiled environment largely untouched by human activity,” the official explained.
The sightings of Chinese egrets, or egretta eulophotes, come as somewhat of a surprise given that the bird has been classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
Sizeable populations of Chinese egrets once resided in the East Asia region, including on the Korean peninsula, the eastern coastal areas of mainland China, as well as in Taiwan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Their numbers began to decline sharply in the early 20th century, however, due to large-scale hunting of the birds for their valuable plumes.
According to the NMPH, there were only about 2,600 to 3,400 Chinese egrets left worldwide by the year 2000, with their numbers continuing to decrease over the past decade by between 10 percent and 19 percent due to human infringement on their natural habitat.
Taiwan has been at the forefront of efforts to save the Chinese egret, listing it as a rare and valuable species protected under the country’s Wildlife Conservation Act. (SB)