A great white pelican. [Photo/The official news website of Taizhou]

The great white pelican, a nationally protected species, was spotted at the Xuanmen Bay National Wetland Park in Yuhuan, a county-level city in Taizhou, East China's Zhejiang province, on March 6. This rare bird, first recorded in Yuhuan in 2015, has been a frequent visitor ever since, becoming a symbol of the improving local ecosystem.

The great white pelican is an endangered species, measuring up to 1.8 meters in length and boasting a wingspan of more than 3 meters. As of early 2026, there are only 161 individuals of the East Asian population of the great white pelican in China. Sightings of the bird have always attracted attention.

A total of four pelicans were observed this time, all adults in a migratory group. The species has strict requirements when it comes to water quality, food resources, and general ecological conditions. Their repeated visits to Yuhuan highlight the park's enhanced ecological health, establishing it as an important space for migratory birds.

From late February to April each year, migratory birds travel through the region, with species such as the black-faced spoonbill, white spoonbill, and black stork also stopping in Yuhuan.

In recent years, the park has been involved in a number of ecological restoration projects, including wetland rehabilitation and waterway management, restoring over 333 hectares. Bird populations have steadily increased, with 315 species recorded so far, an increase of 190 since the park's establishment.