A family of great crested grebes, including newly hatched chicks, has been spotted at a lake in Jinchang City, northwest China's Gansu Province.
The heart-melting moment was captured on Friday at Longshou Lake in the city's Jinchuan District, offering a glimpse into the lives of the rare birds, which are protected under second-class status in China.
The young grebes rode on their parents' backs, peaking their heads out from under their adult grebe's wings.
They were seen mimicking the adult grebes, practicing fishing and diving, creating ripples across the lake's surface. An unhatched egg was also observed in the nest nearby.
While great crested grebes have been sighted at Longshou Lake before, this is the first time a nest and chicks have been spotted in the area, thanks to the improving ecological conditions.
The species has been added to the national list of terrestrial wild animals of important ecological, scientific and social value. The list includes a total of 1,924 wild animal species, including 1,028 birds, 450 reptiles, 253 amphibians and 91 mammals, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
Great crested grebe family spotted at lake in northwest China's Gansu
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
