Putuo adds 12 newly documented species

Putuo district in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, has added 12 newly documented species to its biodiversity database.

These discoveries, including Bewick's swan, the grey-faced buzzard, the chestnut-cheeked starling, and the brown-headed thrush, were made during an ongoing continuity survey following the comprehensive terrestrial biodiversity survey in September 2022.

The 2022 surveys identified a total of 2,980 biological species, among which one new global species, 28 new species in China, and 71 national key protected species were documented. Additionally, 290 items of traditional knowledge related to biodiversity were recorded.

During the ongoing survey, the Himalayan griffon, an extremely rare national first-level protected wild animal was observed, and significant populations of the Chinese pangolin and the Viverricula indica were found.

The assessment of the survival status of rare and endangered species such as the yellow-billed egret and the Chinese pangolin has also been essentially completed.

Putuo has also established a comprehensive terrestrial biodiversity database, intensifying efforts to focus on targeted biological taxa and key species observations, ensuring timely updates to the database.

Simultaneously, a thorough analysis and assessment of the dynamic changes in biodiversity and the factors posing threats are being conducted, with regular evaluations of the effectiveness of conservation efforts. This process aims to provide ample evidence for biodiversity decision-making.