Yangtze finless porpoises swim in the Nantong section of the Yangtze River. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

A new round of biodiversity observation data shows that in the past year, 194 new species have been found in Nantong, Jiangsu province, significantly increasing the city's biodiversity.

A total of 3,983 species have been observed in the city, including 99 species classified as rare and endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and 99 species classified as national key protected species.

The near-mythical Chinese crested tern has appeared along the coast of Nantong for five consecutive years; rare and endangered species such as the Yangtze finless porpoise, false killer whale, and spoon-billed sandpiper have been frequently sighted, with their populations continuously expanding; and species such as the hog badger, fireflies, and leopard cats, which were once difficult to find, have reappeared in the city.

Nantong is a provincial leader in constructing a city-wide biodiversity observation network. This year, the city's ecological and environmental departments have continued to increase investment in advanced observation equipment technology, utilizing high-altitude satellite remote sensing monitoring and low-altitude drone inspections to form a three-dimensional monitoring system.

Meanwhile, Nantong is also the first city in Jiangsu to establish a biodiversity exhibition hall and an "ecological island" experimental area. The Nantong Junshan Mountain and the Qidong North Branch of the Yangtze River Estuary ecological island experimental areas have won provincial recognition.