928 21 AUGUST 2020 • VOL 369 ISSUE 6506 sciencemag.org SCIENCE
PHOTO: WANG DUBAO/BARCROFT MEDIA VIA GETTY IMAGES- The National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic
of China, “The Wildlife Protection Law of China” (2018);
http://www.npc.gov.cn/npc/c12435/201811/
f4d2b7a3024b41ee8ea0ce54ac117daa.shtml
[in Chinese]. - The Department of Forestry and Grassland,
“International Workshop of the Baer’s Pochard
Conservation” (2018); http://www.forestry.gov.cn/portal/
xdly/s/5188/content-1086081.html [in Chinese]. - L. Zhang et al., Bird Conserv. Int. 27 , 2 (2017).
10.1126/science.abd2087
Waterbirds’ coastal
habitat in danger
Migratory waterbirds, especially shore-
birds, depend on China’s coastal wetlands
( 1 ). China’s plans to reclaim the coastal
region for industry , aquaculture, and
other infrastructure could destroy the last
remaining habitat of many vulnerable spe-
cies ( 2 , 3 ). From 2000 to 2010, the local
governments of China’s coastal areas, moti-
vated by rapid urbanization and economic
development, have reclaimed more than
320,000 ha of coastal wetlands ( 4 ). In 2012,
China approved plans to reclaim 246,900
ha of coastal wetlands for construction by
2020 ( 4 ). The largest reclamation project—
the Oufei Project in Wenzhou Bay—spans
an area of 8854 ha ( 5 ) and threatens a
crucial waterbird habitat. China should
halt reclamation plans until environmental
needs are addressed.
Wenzhou Bay is an important stopover
site for birds migrating along the East Asian-
Australasian flyway. More than 100,000LETTERS
Human activities threaten the
dwindling Baer’s pochard population.National Key-protected Species List,
where the Baer’s pochard is still listed
as a lower-priority class III protected
species ( 6 , 7 ). Local governments must
strictly enforce the Wildlife Protection
Law of China to stop illegal hunting and
trade ( 8 ) and increase the investigation
and monitoring of the Baer’s pochard
population, distribution, and habitats ( 9 ).
China should also promote the protection
and restoration of the inland freshwater
wetlands that serve as the duck’s primary
habitats by strengthening the manage-
ment of wetland nature reserves and
improving the infrastructure of wetland
parks. The government, scientists, and
the public must work together to control
China’s pollution ( 10 ). Finally, the govern-
ment should work to raise the public’s
awareness of wildlife protection.
Xin Tong
College of Environmental Science and
Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350,
China. Email: [email protected]REFERENCES AND NOTES- X. Wang et al., Bird Conserv. Int. 22 , 2 (2012).
2. BirdLife International, Baer’s Pochard (Aythya baeri)
(IUCN Red List Threatened Species, 2019).
3. A. U. Chowdhury et al., FORKTAIL 28 , 57 (2012).
4. Z. G. Niu et al., Nature 471 , 7338 (2011).
5. X. F. Wang et al., Chin. J. Wildl. 40 , 1 (2019) [in Chinese].
6. The Department of Forestry and Grassland,“The National
Key-protected Species List” (2018); http://www.forestry.gov.cn/
main/3954/content-1063883.html [in Chinese]. - The Department of Forestry and Grassland, “ List of
National Protected Terrestrial Wildlife Beneficial to
Economic or Scientific Value” (2000); http://www.
forestry.gov.cn/main/3954/content-959027.html
[in Chinese].
Baer’s pochard duck
at risk of extinction
The Baer’s pochard ( Aythya baeri), a
migratory duck, used to be widespread in
northeast China and eastern Russia, where
it would breed, and in central and south-
east Asia, where it would migrate for the
winter ( 1 ). However, in recent years, the
Baer’s pochard population has decreased to
between 150 and 700 Critically Endangered
individuals ( 2 , 3 ). China, as the primary resi-
dence of Baer’s pochard ( 3 ), must take more
protective measures to alleviate the threats
to the species and prevent their extinction.
Anthropogenic activities have exac-
erbated the rapid decline of the Baer’s
pochard population. Wetlands are the
duck’s primary habitats and breeding
grounds, but 33% of wetlands in China
were lost between 1978 and 2008 ( 4 ).
Environmental pollution has killed Baer’s
pochards and further restricted their hab-
itats ( 5 ). Human activities such as fishing,
illegal hunting, and picking up bird eggs
have disrupted Baer’s pochard popula-
tions and threatened their breeding ( 5 ).
The Baer’s pochard is an important
species in the biosphere and vital for
maintaining biodiversity and freshwa-
ter ecosystems. Urgent and coordinated
action from government and the public
is required to protect this species. The
Chinese government should update the
Edited by Jennifer Sills
Published by AAAS