Countrywide Effort to Protect Birds

China is launching a nationwide three-year effort to strengthen bird protection, targeting illegal poaching, habitat loss, and public awareness to safeguard one of the world’s richest bird diversities.

“In 2024, the number of overwintering waterfowl in China reached a record high,” the announcement notes, underscoring how progress is already being made.

Governed by 17 agencies, the campaign will oversee patrols along four major migratory flyways and 1,140 key bird sites, enforce tighter rules on artificial bird breeding, and restore critical habitats. China is home to over 1,500 bird species, about 13% of the world’s total, with more than 800 being migratory. The campaign also plans winter waterbird surveys and public education initiatives to build a culture of bird protection. This move and the early signs of rebound in waterfowl populations suggest that deliberate policy, science, and civic engagement can deliver real conservation wins in even massive, complex landscapes.