A pair of wild whooper swans recently hatched five cygnets in the Bayanbulak wetland of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
The family of seven was spotted swimming and foraging together. The parent swans taught the young how to find food and navigate the water, while the curious cygnets followed closely, pecking at plants and playing along the shallows.
The Bayanbulak wetland is a key breeding ground for whooper swans in China. From May to June every year, the wetland sees the peak hatching period for the species.
The young usually migrate south with their parents in October and return next spring.
Rare whooper swan family spotted in Xinjiang wetland
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that it is fully prepared to respond to all possible scenarios, with all military positions maintained at the highest level of alert, according to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency.
IRGC spokesman Sardar Mohebbi dismissed the United States' claims that Iran's military capabilities have been weakened, calling them false.
He said Iran's armed forces are now at a higher state of combat readiness than ever before, and have a clearer understanding of the enemy's offensive and defensive equipment, deception methods, and operational tactics.
On the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, Mohebbi noted that despite deploying substantial forces, the United States failed to achieve its desired outcome.
He also affirmed that Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz has never been weakened.
Iran's armed forces prepared for all possible scenarios: IRGC
