Shenzhen welcomes migratory birds

Nearly 100,000 migratory waterbirds are arriving to spend the winter at the warmer Shenzhen Bay in south China's Guangdong Province, bringing a seasonal display of wildlife to the city.

Situated on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, the Shenzhen Bay is an important stopover for migratory birds traveling between their breeding and wintering grounds.

From October each year, tens of thousands of waterbirds arrive to rest and feed, with many staying through the winter before heading north again in April.

The bay is also an important habitat for the black-faced spoonbill, a globally endangered species.

A global census on the black-faced spoonbill in 2026 has recorded 341 at the bay, accounting for 4.4 percent of the world's total population. Their presence has made the rare bird a favorite subject for local birdwatchers and photographers.

"Here you can see animals under the national first-class protection just about anywhere. The environment is getting better and better, and now migratory birds are becoming more and more abundant. Shenzhen is an incredible city where you can see so many birds right in the middle of a metropolis," said one photographer at the bay.

"With freshwater flowing in from inland areas, there are plenty of fish here, making it an ideal place for birds to feed," said another.

The city has also taken steps to protect the birds' food supply and habitat, as fishing and harvesting are strictly prohibited in the waters east of the Shenzhen Bay Bridge.

At the Futian mangrove nature reserve, a 24-hour smart monitoring system uses AI to identify and count bird species without disturbing them.

The benefits of habitat restoration are also becoming visible. Black-faced spoonbills, once seen mainly passing through the area, are increasingly staying overnight.

Nighttime monitoring cameras have recorded more than 130 roosting at the reserve.

Shenzhen's conservation efforts extend beyond protecting the feeding and resting grounds. The city has built China's first sound barrier designed specifically for migratory birds and reduced lighting along parts of the coastline to minimize disturbance.

A set of new regulations on mangrove wetland protection in the the city's special economic zone took effect in early November, making it the first city in China to incorporate the practice of switching off lights to protect birds into local legislation.

For these returning winter visitors, the city's welcome is reflected not only in the food and shelter it provides, but also in the steps it takes to make their stay safer.

Shenzhen welcomes migratory birds

China's space station has made steady progress in its fourth round of space radiation exposure experiments over the past week, with samples including nanozymes, actinomycetes and plant seeds brought back after completing a five-month exposure outside the station.

The three Shenzhou-23 astronauts -- Zhu Yangzhu, Zhang Zhiyuan and Li Jiaying -- completed the retrieval, removal and storage of the samples, as well as the handling of the exposure device.

Once returned to Earth, the samples will undergo further analysis to help researchers better understand how space radiation affects living organisms.

The experiment is part of China's broader research into the effects of the space environment on biological systems, particularly the impact of prolonged exposure to space radiation.

The crew also carried out a range of scientific experiments and routine maintenance work aboard the Tiangong space station.

In a study of musculoskeletal responses to microgravity, the astronauts used foot-pressure measurement equipment to collect data during typical workdays. The findings will help researchers examine how the forces acting on bones and muscles vary under different conditions in orbit.

The astronauts also collected nasal and environmental surface swab samples for research into interactions between viruses and immune metabolism.

In addition, they completed assessments of their emergency decision-making abilities and tests of their emotional states in orbit. The data will help ground-based researchers track changes in the crew's decision-making and emotional responses over the course of a space mission. The trio continued routine maintenance of the station's living environment, monitoring cabin air quality through total volatile organic compound test and air cleanliness test. They also replaced components in the regenerative life-support system and the hot-air heating unit in the space kitchen, and cleaned the cabin.

All three astronauts kept to their exercise schedules and used equipment designed to counter the effects of weightlessness, including a device to help prevent bone loss, to maintain their health during the mission.

China's Tiangong space station has entered an era of long-term human habitation. The Shenzhou-23 spacecraft was launched on May 24, carrying three astronauts, two of whom are nearing the end of their sixth month in orbit, while the third is scheduled to remain in space for a full year.

China space station advances fourth round of radiation exposure experiments