With their richly colored plumage and slender bodies, bee-eaters are celebrated in China as the prettiest bird due to their stunning beauty, fascinating habits, and nimble flying abilities. Recognized for their great economic and scientific research value, bee-eaters were added to the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species in 2013.
In recent years, the ecological environment of the Wuyuan River in Haikou, the capital of Hainan Province in southern China, has seen continuous improvement. This positive trend was highlighted in May 2018 when more than 20 bee-eaters were discovered nesting alongside the Wuyuan River National Wetland Park.
Building on this success, the Haikou municipal government approved the establishment of a protected area spanning approximately 8.39 hectares in the lower reaches of the Wuyuan River in April 2019. Since 2018, bee-eaters have been a summer staple in the park, returning each year to breed.
Recently, the park has become a hotspot for shutterbugs eager to capture the vibrant bee-eaters during their breeding season, which runs from May to July. This influx of photographers not only highlights the park's natural beauty but also underscores the importance of ongoing conservation efforts to protect these magnificent birds.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
