China News Service, Wuhan, September 21 (Reporter Guo Xiaoying) The reporter learned from the Management Office of Hubei Shishou Milu National Nature Reserve on the 21st that the continuous drought has led to the narrowing of the river channels in the reserve, the riverbed is exposed, and the muddy area is dry, giving life to the elk. cause some impact.

The reserve has recently drilled four wells to pump groundwater to meet the needs of the elk.

　　Elk is a rare and endangered deer species unique to China, and it is a national first-class protected animal.

The Shishou Elk National Nature Reserve is located between the angle formed by the Yangtze River and the old road of the Yangtze River. It covers an area of ​​23,000 mu and is home to the largest wild population of elk in the world.

The continuous drought has left the riverbed exposed in the Shishou Elk National Nature Reserve.

Photo courtesy of Shishou Elk National Nature Reserve Management Office

　　Since July, Shishou, Hubei has continued to experience high temperature and little rainfall, and has reached a severe meteorological drought.

According to Yang Tao, an engineer at the Shishou Milu National Nature Reserve Management Office, the elk likes mud baths, so the reserve has built many muddy areas.

This time, the water from the well was mainly supplemented to the muddy area, which is convenient for the elk mud bath to cool down.

　　"The water plants in the reserve can basically meet the feeding needs of the elk, but now they need to spend more energy to drink water from farther places." Yang Tao said that the old river of the Yangtze River Swan Island has retreated more than 1,000 meters from the estuary. For the elk, The drinking area becomes further away.

　　The persistent drought has also left the riverbed of the old Yangtze River exposed and abandoned fishing nets exposed.

In order to prevent damage to elk caused by fishing nets, the reserve has arranged for special personnel to strengthen patrol and monitoring.

The staff inspected and removed fishing nets every day, and rescued the trapped elk many times.

Muddy area in Shishou Elk National Nature Reserve.

(Data map) Photo courtesy of Shishou Elk National Nature Reserve Management Office

　　Yang Tao said that the reserve is currently making preparations for overwintering fodder, but if the drought continues to worsen, ryegrass and winter wheat will not be sown normally.

At that time, the reserve will activate the emergency plan and increase the silage reserve to ensure the smooth wintering of the elk.

The largest wild population of elk in the world currently lives in the Shishou Elk National Nature Reserve.

(Data map) Photo courtesy of Shishou Elk National Nature Reserve Management Office

　　The elk is native to the swamps in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, the elk became extinct in China, and only a few lived abroad.

In 1985, China and the UK signed an agreement to return 22 elk from the UK to be protected and restored in Beijing.

In 1991, Shishou Elk Nature Reserve was established.

In 1993 and 1994, the conservation area introduced 64 elk from Beijing twice, and began to explore the return of elk to their original habitat, wild training and restoration of wild populations.

Up to now, the number of Shishou elk has reached more than 2,500, all over the two provinces and nine counties (cities) in the Jingjiang reach of the Yangtze River, and all of them have achieved natural reproduction and restored their wild habits.

(Finish)