Rare Chinese crested terns return to east China wetland for seventh year

Chinese crested terns, one of the world's rarest seabird species, have been recorded in coastal wetlands in Nantong, east China's Jiangsu Province, for a seventh consecutive year.

Bird photographers captured images of the critically endangered birds on July 23 and 24, with sightings this season reported to be more frequent than in previous years.

With a global population of just over 200, the Chinese crested tern is under China's highest level of national protection. Its rarity and elusive nature have earned it the nickname "the mythical bird" in the country.

The species breeds mainly on uninhabited islands off the coasts of Zhejiang and Fujian provinces in east China. Between July and September, some birds stop in Nantong's coastal wetlands to rest and feed during their seasonal migration.

The repeated sightings underline the role of Nantong's wetlands as a stopover site for rare migratory birds, as Jiangsu continues efforts to restore wetland habitats.

Oman's oil production increased 10.6 percent and natural gas production rose 6.7 percent in the first half of 2026 from a year earlier, according to data released by the country's National Center for Statistics and Information on Saturday.

Total oil production reached 198.01 million barrels by the end of June, from 179.05 million barrels in the same period last year, while average daily output increased to 1.09 million barrels, up from 989,2000 barrels per day a year earlier.

The average price of Omani crude climbed 9.4 percent to 80.9 U.S. dollars per barrel, and crude exports edged up 2.4 percent to 155.22 million barrels.

The country's natural gas production, including domestic output and imports, reached 29.54 billion cubic meters in the first half of 2026, against 27.69 billion cubic meters during the same period in 2025.