The rare Bighead fish, which lives only in the Tarim River in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and is close to extinction, has reappeared in the river's lower reaches after water diversion to that area.

"The water transfusion has greatly improved the ecological conditions of the river and the waters, where the fish lays eggs, has gradually recovered. It is expected to keep a steady population of the fish as the sixth water diversion ends this year," said Hu Wenkang, spokesman of the regional ecological and geographical research institute.

The 1,321 km-long Tarim River runs west to east along the northern edge of the Taklimakan Desert, China's largest desert, and flows into Taitema Lake.

The 320 km section of the lower reaches of the river and Taitema Lake dried up in 1972 because of excessive use for farming irrigation, which left the habitat of the Bighead fish, or big head schizothracin, much smaller, said Xie Ziniu, senior engineer of the regional general fishery administration.

To save the environment of the river, China diverted water from Baghrash Lake to the lower reaches of the Tarim River five times from April 2000 to November 2003 and the sixth diversion began in late March.
 
(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2004)