Aerial view of a herd of Milu deer, or Pere David's deer, wandering on the "Red Beach" created by suaeda salsa, a kind of reed on wetland, on October 28, 2025 in Yancheng, Jiangsu Province of China. Photo Credit: VCG/Getty Images
Animals ChinaExtinct No More: Lost Deer Species Thrive In Wetlands
In eastern China’s Yancheng wetlands, a species once declared extinct in the wild is thriving again —marking one of conservation’s most extraordinary turnarounds.
“This isn’t just species recovery; it’s ecosystem resurrection,” said wildlife expert John, part of the research team that documented the deer’s comeback after 20 years of field studies.
From just 39 Pere David’s deer reintroduced in 1985, the population has grown to more than 8,200 at Dafeng Nature Reserve — now 60% of the global total. The restored 78,000-hectare wetland supports over 240 wildlife species, including the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper. Backed by international collaboration and local community stewardship, Yancheng has become living proof that extinction can be reversed through science, patience, and the restoration of natural habitats.
