Is there a "sea" in the vast Gobi Desert? It is an "energy supply station" for migratory birds!

In Fuhai County in Altay Prefecture in northern Xinjiang, there is a vast expanse of water. With rolling waves and white sand beaches, it feels like being at the tropical seaside. This vast expanse of blue water is not the sea, but the "mother lake" of Fuhai County - Ulungur Lake. Here, people affectionately call the lake "Haizi".

The Ulungur Lake, with a water area of ​​over 1,000 square kilometers, is one of the top ten inland lakes in China and the second largest lake in Xinjiang. It consists of two parts: Ulungur Lake (Dahaizi and Zhonghaizi) and Jili Lake (Xiaohaizi). In terms of climatic conditions, the annual evaporation of Ulungur Lake is about 800 million cubic meters, which plays a vital role in improving the ecological environment of the Altai region, Karamay and Central Asia. Secondly, its flood control and water storage regulation is also an important function.

Xinjiang Ulungur Lake National Wetland Park

As an important part of the Fuhai wetland ecosystem, Lake Ulungur not only provides irrigation and domestic water for the local area, but also plays an important role in economic benefits and social value. In recent years, Fuhai County has made Lake Ulungur National Wetland Park a top priority in the construction of ecological civilization, and has implemented five projects, including popular science education on biodiversity, wetland protection and restoration, and water pollution prevention and control. Every year, snowmelt water is used for ecological flooding, 16 kilometers of wetland restoration slopes are restored, 300 hectares of artificial reeds are cultivated, 450 hectares of vegetation around the lake are restored, 647 hectares of reeds are rejuvenated, and 100 hectares of water bird habitats are restored. In addition, by accelerating the "greening around the lake" project, 100,000 trees have been planted, the greening area has reached 140 hectares, and the effect of desertification prevention and control has been significantly improved.

At the same time, strict fishing bans were implemented, a national aquatic germplasm resource protection zone for endemic fish species in Lake Ulungur was established, and 549 wetland management stations, bird rescue and breeding stations, large bird houses, and "insect hotels" were built. The number of fish and birds in the wetland continued to increase. According to surveys, there are 101 species of wild animals in 21 orders and 40 families, 23 species of fish, and more than 300 species of birds in the Lake Ulungur area. The number of birds increased by 204 species compared with 2017, a year-on-year increase of 400%, and the number of fish increased by 1 species, a year-on-year increase of 4%. The world's largest population of white-headed hard-tailed ducks (only 7,000 to 13,000 left in the world) was continuously observed. A series of figures all prove that the biodiversity of the Lake Ulungur wetland is becoming more and more abundant.

Several white swans foraging in the Ulungur Lake National Wetland Park

In recent years, as the environment around Lake Ulungur has further improved, the lake area and wetland area have gradually increased, and it has become an "energy supply station" for migratory birds flying over the Tianshan Mountains and the Altai Mountains. In the golden autumn season, migratory birds will stop here, creating a beautiful landscape for the wetland.

Deep in the wetland, water birds are flying and circling in the sky, and crested swans are sweetly dependent on each other in the water. This home on the migration route is even greener.

Review expert: Tu Qiang, deputy editor of Ocean Publishing House

China Association for Science and Technology Department of Science Popularization

Xinhuanet

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