'Mysterious' mountains start to reveal their natural wonders

Green peafowl sanctuary

Among the fascinating animals in the Ailao Mountains, Wu is most concerned about the endangered green peafowl, also included on the IUCN red list.

The green peafowl, measuring 180 to 230 centimeters in length, is the only native peafowl species in China and the largest of the country's wild pheasants.

The males, having bright blue-green plumage with a crest of feathers on their heads, look robust and extraordinarily ornate.

These beautiful birds inhabit mainly deciduous broad-leaved forests and evergreen broad-leaved mixed forests along the banks of rivers, and feed on flowers, fruit and seeds, as well as termites, crickets and locusts.

Deep within the Ailao Mountains, in Shuangbai county of Chuxiong, a prefecture-level nature reserve named Konglong River was established in 2003 to protect the green peafowl.

At that time, there were eight to 10 groups of green peafowl in the reserve, totaling about 50 to 70 birds.

To better protect the green peafowl population and its habitat, the local authorities gradually expanded the reserve, built a monitoring network, and implemented rescue, protection, and restoration projects.

"As a flagship species, protecting the green peafowl also safeguards the river valley habitat and many other rare and endangered species within the original habitat," said Wu.

"It plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the river valley ecosystem," he said.

Sources from Shuangbai's forestry and grassland bureau told local media that as of November, the green peafowl population in the entire county was monitored by 66 groups with 430 individuals, making it the largest and best-protected habitat for green peafowls in Asia.