Critically Endangered Baer's Pochards Find Refuge in Hengshui Lake, Highlighting Ecosystem Health

Nearly 120 Baer's Pochards, critically endangered diving ducks, have been observed wintering in Hengshui Lake national nature reserve in North China's Hebei province. This exciting discovery was made by a photographer who captured images of the wintering ducks and shared them with staff members of the wetland ecological monitoring division.

The Baer's Pochard is classified as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. The photographer, Zhang Xuefeng, was thrilled to discover a large flock of these rare ducks resting on the water surface.

"Spotting such a large flock with my camera was incredibly thrilling," said Zhang Xuefeng. "Being able to document this precious moment through photographs and bear witness to the beauty and wonder of Hengshui Lake makes me feel immensely proud."

The Baer's Pochard population at Hengshui Lake was first discovered by research teams in 2000. The recent sighting by Zhang Xuefeng is the largest recorded at this lake since 2018.

"The sighting underscores the health of Hengshui Lake's ecosystem, as Baer's Pochards are extremely sensitive to the environment," said Zhang Yuguang, head of the wetland ecological monitoring division.

Hengshui Lake is a national nature reserve that maintains an intact wetland ecosystem encompassing swamps, water bodies, tidal flats, meadows, and forests. It serves as an important stopover for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, with 336 bird species recorded at this location to date.