Four elks in the Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park [Photo/kfqgw.beijing.gov.cn]

On June 4, four elks in the Elk Garden of Nanhaizi Park smoothly boarded a vehicle and were then sent to the Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park in Yanqing district, where they participated in the wetland biodiversity protection technology extension test by being made responsible for "regulating" vigorously growing plants such as reeds in the wetland in an attempt to balance the ecosystem.

Staff conducted a physical examination on the four elks and put them on the Beidou satellite positioning tracker, so scientific research personnel could gather data such as their movement during the experiment.

World Environment Day falls just one day later, on June 5. On that day, at 10 o'clock in the morning, four elks got off the truck in the Wild Duck Lake National Wetland Park one after another, and immediately rushed into their new home, disappearing in the reeds.

According to Zhong Zhenyu, the staff member who escorted the elks to Yanqing district, the four creatures are expected to live in the wetland until the end of this year. During this period, citizens can increase their awareness of environmental protection through visiting the elks in the park.

The introduction of the national treasure elk into the wetland is an important part of the "Beijing Wetland Biodiversity Conservation and Improvement Technology Demonstration and Promotion" project jointly conducted by the Beijing Elk Ecological Experimental Center and the Natural Reserve Management Office of Yanqing district. 

Through the introduction of the wetland's flagship species staff members will carry out wetland protection and natural belt construction experiments in accordance with the laws of nature.

The phrase "Flagship species" refers to a species that has a special appeal and attraction to the social ecological protection force. It can also promote social attention to species protection, and be a representative species for regional ecological maintenance.

The Elk is a Chinese sample of wildlife protection and a national first-level protected animal.

For decades, three measures have been established in the Elk Garden of the Nanhaizi Park: wetland ecosystem restoration, elk biological research and technology integration, and ex-situ conservation population establishment. Elks in the park thus continue to rejuvenate, multiply and thrive, and have played a role in promoting China's protection of wildlife biodiversity and construction of ecological civilization.