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Numerous Terns Find Home in Zhongjian Island
Since mid-March, tens of thousands of terns have flown to live and multiply in Zhongjian Island, presenting a new sight of flocks of chasing and flying birds in this formerly solitary place.
Zhongjian is a small island at the southernmost tip of Xisha Islands, its north is over 180 nautical miles from Sanya City of Hannan Province and its west 210 nautical miles from Da Naga of Vietnam. It covers an area of only 1.5 sq.km with a relatively harsh natural environment in Xisha islands. It is composed of coral reefs and silver-colored sands with an average annual temperature over 31 degrees Celsius and force 4 sea wind.
Since their entry into this island in the 1970s, Chinese Navy soldiers have made fruitful efforts to green the desolate island. By now hundreds of luxuriant trees can be seen, such as wild loquat, "ram's horn" and coconut, as well as hundreds of square meters vine, sisal hemp and other evergreens.
In the past one could also see birds blown to the island by typhoons, but most of them died very soon because they had no proper places to live in. While in recent years, thanks to improved natural conditions, in early summer season, swarms of terns fly here to lay and hatch eggs on the sand, then fly north with their youngsters and return in the same season next year.
By PD Online staff member Li Heng
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