Oriental white storks found nesting, breeding in Shanxi

First time for birds to be seen so far south in summer

Oriental white storks were observed nesting and breeding for the first time in North China's Shanxi province recently, a clear testament to the increasing numbers of this rare species and the success of local environmental protection efforts.

The Oriental white stork is a first-class animal under State protection. With limited breeding grounds and a global estimated population between 7,000 and 9,000, it has been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

On May 9, Chai Run, a 61-year-old wildlife photography enthusiast and conservation volunteer from Yunzhou district in Datong city, was photographing on the northern bank of the Sanggan River when he found that two Oriental white storks had built a nest atop a high-voltage transmission tower.