Chinese Egrets Flock to Kunming Zoo

Hundreds of wild Chinese egrets chose Kunming Zoo in Yunnan province as the place to give birth to their baby egrets recently.

However, it wasn't just egrets that flocked to the zoo. Wildlife enthusiasts and those wishing to catch a glimpse of the birds also flocked to the area.

As the birds nested down in preparation for raising their offspring, the zoo soon became a bird paradise. Chinese egrets could be seen resting on trees and flying, and baby egrets could be seen learning to catch fish with their mothers.

Wild Chinese egrets are vigilant and tend to keep distance from human beings. But due to the zoo's many vantage points, visitors are able to observe the birds at close range and appreciate their graceful movements.

Official statistics from the zone found that an average of 60 visitors come to the zoo to take photos of egrets each day. Some, the statistics revealed, even stayed for the duration of the whole day to get their desired photos.

The Chinese egret is listed as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

To provide a sustainable resident environment for the egrets, workers at the zoo regularly stock the lake with fish and loaches to give the birds ample food resources. Zoo keepers also take injured birds to the vet for treatment and recovery.

The breeding season for Chinese egrets is between March and August, during which time birds in the region are likely to reside at Kunming Zoo. A female egret may give birth three times in one year. When the babies are able to fly by themselves, the birds will leave the zoo to seek other waters.

Those wishing to see these graceful creatures should visit the zoo before the end of August.