Oriental storks in Nantong. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

To mark Jiangsu province's annual Bird-Loving Week from April 20 to 26, Nantong has established its first expert group dedicated to identifying bird species and other terrestrial wildlife.

This team comprises university scholars, renowned photographers and animal protection pioneers, all appointed for a three-year term.

They will utilize their academic expertise, high-definition photography skills and frontline experience to provide technical support to local forestry departments. Their mission is to facilitate species identification and the handling of wildlife cases, promote bird conservation efforts and combat the illegal hunting and trafficking of wild birds.

Thanks to the continuous improvement of Nantong's ecological environment over the past few years, the city has recorded over 420 bird species, spanning 22 orders and 72 families. Among these, 20 species are classified as national first-class protected wild animals, 71 as national second-class protected wild animals and five are listed as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with seven species listed as Endangered.

One notable species is the oriental stork, an endangered bird on the IUCN Red List. Nantong's coastal and riverside areas provide an ideal habitat for them. Recently, in Zhiyong village, Rugao, a county-level city in Nantong, a pair of oriental storks, which have returned to the area for five consecutive years, hatched five chicks, becoming a nationally celebrated family.