Black storks, a national first-class protected animal known for its strict ecological requirements, was recently spotted in Shanxi province's Danhe Wetland Park, a sign of the province's steadily improving environment and growing biodiversity.

In recent years, Shanxi has made significant strides in pollution control and has established a comprehensive coordination mechanism for biodiversity protection. The province has implemented major biodiversity conservation projects and strengthened public education on biodiversity protection. These efforts have led to notable achievements in ecological civilization construction and biodiversity conservation, fostering a positive atmosphere for public participation in biodiversity protection.

Thanks to increased protection efforts and ongoing ecological improvements, the population and area of distribution of key protected bird species, such as the brown-eared pheasant, have steadily increased, while an increasing number of rare waterbirds are now inhabiting Shanxi's wetlands, rivers, and lakes.

Over the past 40 years, the brown-eared pheasant, known as the provincial bird, has seen its population grow from over 5,000 in 1990 to approximately 19,000 today. Its distribution has expanded from 28 counties to 45 counties, covering a total area of 11,900 square kilometers.

Birds are a clear indicator of a healthy ecological environment. The increasing number of bird species settling in Shanxi vividly reflects the province's improving ecological conditions.