The cotton pygmy goose, a national second-class protected species in China, has been recorded for the first time at the Guangdong Lianping Huangniushi Provincial Nature Reserve in Lianping County, Heyuan. Reserve staff photographed the bird during a patrol in May.
Among the smallest waterfowl in the world, adult cotton pygmy geese measure about 30 centimeters in length and weigh 200 to 300 grams. They favor shallow lakes, ponds, marshes and slow-moving streams with clean water and abundant aquatic vegetation, making their presence an indicator of wetland health.
The bird is among more than 100 plant and animal species newly recorded in the reserve since the beginning of 2026, including 22 newly recorded bird species and 79 vascular plant species. The reserve has also recorded four other bird species under national second-class protection in China and two protected orchid species.
The new records come amid expanded biodiversity monitoring. In April, the reserve launched a long-term survey program covering different elevation zones. Infrared cameras and other equipment are also being used to monitor wildlife across forests, streams and wetlands.
The reserve serves as an important ecological barrier in the upper Dongjiang River basin and the Wanlvu Lake watershed. Its ecological functions help safeguard drinking water supplies for more than 40 million people in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Author | Huang Xinying
Photos | Nanfang Plus
