Wetland in north China shut after swan deaths

A scenic wetland resort in north China's Shanxi Province was temporarily closed on Thursday, after the death of a dozen swans, according to the local forestry authority.

The swans, as well as an undisclosed number of wild ducks, have been found dead on wetland property since Jan. 4.

The Pinglu Wetland on Yellow River, the country's second longest, is a major winter habitat for swans that migrate from Siberia in Russia.

Wang Tian'en, a patrol warden with the wetland preservation administration, said more than 10,000 swans flocked to the wetland every winter.

Wang played down suggestions that the birds had died from avian flu, instead saying it was more likely to be intentional poisoning by poachers, as bird flu would result in higher casualties.

However, as a cautionary measure, the local forestry authority decided to close the 600-hectare wetland park.

A team including experts from the national forestry body have started to investigate the deaths, and the dead birds have been disposed of safely.

Wang said that to support the birds' survival through winter this year, the local forestry department had allocated 30,000 kilograms of corn and cabbage to supplement their diets. It was possible, he said, that some poachers may have poisoned the feed in a bid to kill the birds for their meat.