A rare bird species made a surprise appearance in Southern China. The black-bellied darter, also known as the oriental darter or Anhinga melanogaster, was spotted at the Haiwei National Wetland Park in Hainan Province.
This is the first time the species has ever been recorded in the area, and the last known sighting was in Yunnan Province in 2021. Before that, the last record was from Fujian in 1931.
A black-bellied darter was photographed at Changjiang Haiwei National Wetland Park in Hainan Province, #China. The #species, listed as near #threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, has been recorded in #Hainan… pic.twitter.com/WWQytKtSTu
— Beijing Daily (@DailyBeijing) July 14, 2025
According to ECNS, the bird was spotted on July 11 by Xue Meili, deputy director of the park's management center. The species is listed as "near threatened" on the IUCN list and is rarely seen anywhere in China. Xue believes the bird's return signals that the park's habitat protections and ecological recovery efforts are starting to pay off.
The black-bellied darter is a long-necked waterbird that feeds mostly on fish but also eats aquatic insects, reptiles, and amphibians. It usually lives near freshwater lakes, slow rivers, mangrove swamps, and estuaries.
Sightings like this help researchers better understand where rare species are surviving and where and how they might be able to thrive again. They also show how trail cameras and routine monitoring can give scientists curricula insight into species health, behavior, and recovery.
According to a report from China Daily, the park in Western Hainan is home to hundreds of different bird species. Among them are three species that are under China's highest level of national protection, and almost 40 other species are listed at the second highest level.
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Mieli confirmed the bird's identity and presence during his usual monitoring routine, officially recording the black-bellied darter in the area for the first time.
Protecting species like the black-bellied darter helps keep ecosystems stable, which matters to people, especially when it comes to water quality, agriculture, and protecting our food supply. As wetland habitats are restored, they can support more species, reduce flooding, and store carbon, which all help create a cleaner future for communities nearby.
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