Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve

Established in 1986, Jiangsu Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve is located in Yancheng Yellow Sea Wetland, East China’s Jiangsu province. It plays an important role in protecting milu deer, cranes and their wetland ecosystem as well as restoring the wild milu deer population.

In 2001, it was recognized as a Wetlands of International Importance, and in 2003, it became a member of the East Asian-Australasian Shorebird Conservation Network.

The populations of rare birds such as the red-crowned crane, Saunders's gull, and reed parrotbill have increased dramatically, by dozens of times since the reserve's establishment. Ninety-two bird species are included in the China-Japan Migratory Bird Agreement, and 31 species are listed for national key protection.

By 2020, the population of milu deer in the reserve had grown from 39 to 5,681, including 1,820 wild ones, becoming the world's largest. The remarkable growth has brought an end to the century-long absence of wild milu in the world and established the world's largest milu nature reserve with the most complete elk gene pool globally.