Endangered deer enter the wild after long recovery period

Over the 35 years since the milu's return, the species' population has surpassed 8,000, active in 81 areas in China. Noticeably, they have formed pure wild groups independent from the protection of human beings.

When massive floods in 1998 destroyed the fences in Shishou Nature Reserve, north of Yangtze River, over 30 milu fled, bravely swam across the river. They found a new habitat near East Dongting Lake and reproduced, prompting the formation of the first group of wild milu.

"As a species adapts to the environment, they will gradually develop certain genetic features. Integration between different breeds will keep the useful features and eliminate the bad ones, so as to enrich genetic diversity and reduce the possibility of disease. That's also the intention of this East Dongting Lake trip," said Bai Jiade, director of the Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center.

The center has sent 546 milu to 41 nature reserves across the country since 1989.

"There are more than 8,000 milu in China now. The next step is to gradually release them into nature. To have milu from Beijing integrate into the wild groups in other places is an important approach," Bai said.

The ten milu in this trip to East Dongting Lake consists of both young and elderly specimens. In the summers to come, they will grow into strong competitors in the fight over leadership and mates.

Our herd, however, has no idea of all these sophisticated plans. The 30-hour trip has just made them sullen and tired.

As the truck drives into the reserve, they perk up after smelling the marsh. What awaits them is a broad field of 190 hectares with abundant water, grasses and sedges, over 200 bird and plants species, and their relatives.

Getting off the truck, they take a short break in a shelter. The moment the fences open, they bounce out in a trot, vanishing into the reeds.