XTGB Birding Festival [IMAGE: XTBG]

The number of birds in Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has reached 319, according to a release from the 11th XTBG Birding Festival from November 9 to 12.

This year’s bird watching festival was composed of a 24-hour bird watching competition, science popularization lectures, booth displays, bird nature painting training, and bird documentary screening.

During the 24-hour bird watching competition, 146 valid bird species were recorded, seeing the valid bird records in XTBG reach 319. The prize winners from Yunnan, Beijing, and Guangdong recorded 108, 98, and 90 valid bird species, respectively. The 3 new bird species are Ceryle rudis, Elanus caeruleus, and Spodiopsar cineraceus.

Bird-watching race [IMAGE: XTBG]

The science popularization lecture was also a highlight of this bird-watching festival. Bird experts shared the progress made in the classification of birds in Yunnan, and birding books about humans, bird watching and ecological photographing in Yunnan, which attracted wide participation from enthusiastic bird and nature lovers.

Booth displays are a direct participation opportunity for the public in bird-watching festivals, and a way to popularize bird-watching among the public and raise awareness of biodiversity conservation. Participating institutions prepared a variety of creative cultural products, with the richness of exhibits being the highest ever.

The booths displayed hundreds of creative cultural products, including clothing, shoes and socks, stickers, badges, stationery, plush toys, educational toys, wood carving handicrafts, promotional materials, and science popularization publications. Carefully prepared interactive games were also available, which attracted the interest of tourists.

Participants pose for a group photo. [IMAGE: XTBG]

After more than a decade of effort, XTBG Birding Festival has become highly influential and attractive among nature enthusiasts.

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden [IMAGE: XTBG]

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) was founded in 1959, and is a comprehensive research institution engaged in scientific research, species preservation, science communication, science & technology development, and a well-known scenic spot. XTBG’s 1,125-hectare area includes a 250-hectare patch of well-preserved primary tropical rainforest. XTBG’s excellent preservation of over 13,000 species of plants in its 38 living collections has enhanced its reputation for being one of the most diverse botanical gardens for outdoor plants in the world. Up to now, in addition to bird species, 63 mammal species, 46 reptile species, 28 amphibian species, and 468 butterfly species have been recorded in the garden.

Source: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden,

Chinese Academy of Sciences