China releases rare alligators into the wild
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Six Chinese alligators bred in captivity have been released into the wild in east China's Anhui Province, said an official with a nature reserve on Wednesday.
The rare alligators were released into the Gaojingmiao State Forest Farm in Langxi County on Tuesday, bringing the total number of the endangered species released by the reserve to 42, said Wang Chaolin, Deputy Director of the Anhui Yangtze Alligator National Nature Reserve Administration.
The Chinese alligator, also known as the Yangtze alligator, is a critically endangered species native only to China. It has lived in the Yangtze River area for more than 230 million years and is nicknamed a "living fossil," just like the giant panda.
Efforts have been made by the Chinese government in recent years to reintroduce captive-bred animals to suitable wild habitats.
The Anhui reserve has been releasing captive-bred alligators since 2002. According to tracking devices inserted in those animals, they are living healthy lives in the wild.
The two male and four female alligators released Tuesday have also been tagged with tracking devices. The devices will send back signals that allow scientists to monitor the alligators' movements and living conditions, said Wang.
So far, the reserve has bred more than 10,000 Chinese alligators. Only 121 to 152 of the animals are estimated to be living in the wild
China has put the reptile on the top of its protection list and aims to to raise the number living in the wild to 400 by 2018.
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