A ceremony was held in Tianjin's Ninghe district on March 19 to mark the arrival of 58 milu deer from Dafeng Milu Deer National Nature Reserve in Yancheng, Jiangsu province. This initiative aims to restore the native species and enhance wetland conservation efforts.

The Qilihai wetland in North China's Tianjin municipality has recently introduced 58 milu deer. [Photo provided to exploringtianjin.com]

After a 16-hour journey, the 58 milu deer reached their new home at the ecological conservation base in Qilihai wetland.

Milu deer, also known as Père David's deer, were originally native to the Qilihai Wetland in Ninghe. Archaeological findings in the area have uncovered over 30 fossilized and semi-fossilized milu antlers, dating back between 3,000 and 4,000 years.

To revive this rare species and restore the ecological balance of the coastal wetlands, Ninghe district introduced 10 milu deer from the Beijing Milu Park in 2011. Since then, the well-preserved ecosystem has supported their reproduction, increasing the population to 34. In 2024, two additional milu deer were introduced from Jiangsu, demonstrating successful adaptation and growth in the Qilihai wetland.

The milu deer arrive in the Qilihai wetland in North China's Tianjin municipality. [Photo provided to exploringtianjin.com]

"The Qilihai wetland provides an ideal environment for milu deer, offering abundant food sources such as reeds, cattail roots, and aquatic plants," said Yu Zenghui, an advisor to the administrative committee of Qilihai wetland area. "With the expansion of the population and genetic diversity, the herd is expected to become stronger and more resilient, with at least 10 new births projected annually."

"We carefully selected robust individuals from a population of nearly 1,000, ensuring they are in good physical condition and ready to adapt to their new surroundings," said Xie Shengbin, director of the milu research institute at Dafeng Milu Deer National Nature Reserve. To facilitate long-term monitoring, five of the deer have been equipped with GPS collars to track their ecological behaviors and environmental adaptation.

The runaway milu deer attracts some tourists. [Photo provided to exploringtianjin.com]

The event also featured a donation ceremony and the unveiling of the milu deer ecological conservation base of Qilihai wetland, marking a significant step toward a more structured and collaborative conservation effort.

The deer are expected to take around three months to acclimatize to the new environment, reinforcing the region's commitment to ecological restoration and biodiversity conservation.