This past weekend, the Director of the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation (CBCGDF) China Conservation Area for Relic Gulls at Tianjin and the local volunteers were very upset. Why? Because the important habitat of relic gulls in Tianjin was violently ravaged — people swarmed and took away a large number of creatures (such as crabs and crickets) in the tidal flat, seriously threatening the survival of the relic gull’s population. Now we are in need of a large number of caring citizens to participate in the patrol work of the beach wetland in Tianjin Binhai New Area. First, to promote the importance of protecting the tidal flats; Second, to persuade the uncooperative citizens. If you are interested, please contact CBCGDF colleagues in Tianjin and organize a patrol team to protect our environmental home.

Relic gulls (Larus relictus) is China's national first-class protected animal and a world-class endangered migratory bird. They overwinter in the Bohai Bay and breed on some lake islands in the north of Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Hebei Province. Due to the deterioration of the habitat, the population of relic gulls has gradually decreased in recent years. Every winter, a large group of gull flies to Tianjin and winters on the beaches. They usually fly to Tianjin around August and move to breeding grounds in mid-April.

Tianjin, China, is located on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. It is one of the only remaining habitats for the relic gulls. The relic gulls that go there every year account for more than 90% of the global population.

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At first, the team at the CBCGDF China Conservation Area for Relic Gulls at Tianjin didn't understand why a large number of relic gulls flew here. After more than a decade, the director of the CCAfa site and the ornithologists, as well as local volunteers have done a lot of investigations here. Later, they found that the food is abundant, especially the smooth river blue clams, and other cockroaches. Therefore, it is precisely because this tidal flat is a source of sufficient food that is important to the survival of the relic gulls, they will fly here.

However, since April of this year, the tidal flat has been destroyed by digging. There are not only humans but also ships. The exploitation of the ship's propellers is completely destructive, devastating, and disorderly mining, which is devastating to the habitat of the relic gulls. The current situation is that the number of excavators is increasing. The reason is the spread of online media.

The CBCGDF China Conservation Area for relic gulls at Tianjin is a valuable tidal flat in the crack. Over the years, the protection and appeal of local volunteers has given the land a chance to recuperate, but the area is also very vulnerable to devastating by the destruction. Being close to the tidal flat itself is not a problem, even a good expression of our closeness to nature, but excessively picking up clams such as shellfish, destroying their spawning grounds, and disturbing the habitat and foraging of endangered birds, is a fatal blow to the fragile ecology, and the entire tidal flat ecosystem will be severely damaged. The most heart-wrenching thing is that the spread of the internet has made this situation even worse. We are just afraid that the benthic organisms in the tidal flats will be wiped out by human beings - your table may have added a few seafood, and to humans, another cherished creature – the relic gulls will lose their precious habitat.

We must strongly call for the public – everyone must become active promoters. Join us and go to the scene with us. Under the leadership of the CBCGDF China Conservation Area for relic gulls at Tianjin, to form patrol teams on the tidal flats. To persuade people to stop picking up the clams to reduce the sustained impact on the tidal flat and protect the largest living home of the relic gulls.

We need your help and the CCAfa site needs your participation. Please contact us: The Director of the CCAfa site Wang Jianmin: 18920710170; Li Yunfei, the representative of the CBCGDF patrol team in Tianjin: 18910636307.

The latest: Today, there are still more than 2,000 people in the Tianjin Binhai New Area who are destroying the tidal flats. Birds such as waterfowls and shore birds have been slow to fly. The people who come to pick up the clams are not only locals but also people from the neighboring provinces of Tianjin.

(Photo credit: CBCGDF volunteers)

By / Niu Jingmei