China
Hong Kong's stock market ended lower on Thursday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index down 0.24 percent to close at 26,282.69 points.
The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index lost 0.31 percent to end at 9,346.86 points, while the Hang Seng Tech Index shed 0.68 percent to close at 6,051.76 points.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index closes lower Thursday
To mark Chinese Sturgeon Protection Day, around 550,000 Chinese sturgeons were released into Jingzhou and Yichang sections of the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei Province, as well as in Shanghai, on Saturday.
Nicknamed "aquatic pandas," Chinese sturgeons have existed for over 140 million years. However, the natural population of the species in the Yangtze plummeted in the late 20th century due to intrusive human activities.
The fish is primarily protected through artificial breeding followed by release into the natural environment. In recent years, China has made significant conservation efforts, including expanding artificial breeding and release and fostering natural breeding of the species.
The annual releases of captive-bred Chinese sturgeons have exceeded 1 million for two consecutive years since 2024, effectively replenishing wild populations of the endangered species.
550,000 Chinese sturgeons released into Yangtze River
