A large flock of grey cranes is found resting on the wetland of Yellow River in Zhengzhou, central China's Henan Province on Friday, January 4, 2008. Grey cranes are under second level state protection. This is the first time that 612 grey cranes are observed in the wetland protection zone of Yellow River in Zhengzhou. [Photo: cnsphoto]

Latest statistics show the number of rare species in the wetland at Yellow River Estuary within Shandong Province has doubled over the past eight years since China practiced uniform allocation and water scheduling of the Yellow River.

Ecological condition of the Yellow River Estuary greatly deteriorated during the 1970s and 1990s and the lower reach tended to dry up more frequently due to the lack of water.

To cope with the worsening situation, China started the uniform water scheduling plan in 1999, which has been proven to be very successful as it has been preventing the lower reach of the Yellow River from drying up in the following eight years.

According to the statistics, for Lijin Hydrographic Station of the Yellow River, the annual amount of water that reaches the sea is about 11.48 billion cubic meters, which has guaranteed the basic requirements of water consumption and greatly improved the ecological system along the river. Meanwhile, the area of wetland also expanded by 13,000 hectares from the previously 153, 000 hectares in 2000 at the Yellow River delta.

As the wetland grows and the environment improves, more wild birds come to visit. In recent years, Yellow River Estuary has become home to about four million migratory birds. Many rare species are also found inhabiting on the favorable wetland. By inspection, there are 1,922 species of wild life with over 50 under first or second level of state protection. The types of rare species discovered at the zone have reached 459, twice of that before the start of water scheduling.