E rising swan
S provided by a team of wardens have turned the wetlands of report Cheng Yuezhu in Beijing and Mao Weihua in Urumqi.
of food. “The diet of swans chiefly comprises weed and plankton, which are found in plenty at Bayanbulak. They spend half a year at the reserve, feeding and nesting. It allows them to recharge themselves for the next round of migration,” he explains.
The reserve’s administrative bureau has set up a central management station with wardens of the reserve, who work to protect the swans. The station has six full-time custodians and recruits six more to help during the busy season, which is from March to October.
Na Qing from the Mongolian ethnic group has been a full-time warden since 2016. He visits the wetlands three to five times a week, observes and records swan behavior, prevents interference of any kind and also keeps tabs on other wildlife species.
Occasionally, Na and his colleagues encounter ailing or injured swans, besides other animals, and transport them to the reserve’s rescue center. Every year, at least 30 to 50 animals and birds are rescued.
Once or twice a month, the wardens are required to go on a long trip — from the buffer zones to the core area of the reserve. Each trip usually lasts five days to a week. The wardens carry food and tents in addition to patrolling gear like GPS trackers, binoculars and cameras.
Since the nesting area is a marshland with interconnected lakes, solo-tripping can be perilous even for those familiar with the geography. So, the wardens work in teams of usually two or three. “Crossing the wetlands can be tricky. The water is deep in some pockets while soft mud can trap you in other places. We tie a rope around the waist, like a climbing line, for safety,” Na says.
According to him, 8,000 to 10,000 swans visit the reserve every year and 2,500 to 3,000 cygnets are born on an average. As winter sets in, less than 300 stay back; mostly those that lack the strength for long-distance flight. The team keeps an eye on these swans to ensure they don’t go hungry. Corn seeds are scattered every seven to 10 days.
Following decades of individual and organizational efforts, Bayanbulak became a national reserve in 1986. In 2013, Xinjiang Tianshan was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and Bayanbulak (named as Bayinbuluke) is one of its four segments.
Ma says both the national and international tags have helped raise the standard of management of Bayanbulak, which in turn provides extra cover to the migratory birds and other species. “Today, it sees routine patrolling, close monitoring of wildlife and research projects,” he says.
Public awareness about the need to protect the swans has increased along with legal awareness on how to address violations, if any, of reserve rules.
“Promoting tourism can now boost the economy of the region without harming its ecology,” adds Ma.