Crested Ibises Return to Gansu’s Deep Mountains, Green Power Safeguards Nature

At the Longmen Forest Farm on Xiaolongshan in Liqiao Town, Maiji District, Tianshui City, the woods are lush and the streams flow gently. There had been no records of crested ibis activity in the area since the 1960s. In September 2023, 20 crested ibises were relocated from Yangxian County, Shaanxi Province. Gansu’s first ex-situ reintroduction and breeding base for crested ibises was established here, marking the species’ return to the province after more than half a century.

The ecological park features 5,024 square meters of semi-wild aviaries, artificial wetlands, and foraging rice paddies to restore the crested ibises’ native habitat. Crested ibises have an incubation period of 24 to 28 days. During the breeding process, constant-temperature incubators, comprehensive monitoring systems, and research instruments all require a continuous and stable power supply. Unstable utility power in the remote mountains and frequent outages during the rainy season once threatened the breeding program. To secure an independent power supply, State Grid Tianshui Power Supply Company installed a 1.5-kilometer dedicated ecological power line and installed and put into operation a dedicated 200 kVA transformer.

Panoramic View of the Crested Ibis Ecological Park at Longmen Forest Farm, Xiaolongshan Forestry Conservation Center

Power supply staff conduct routine mountain patrols and have established a smart power assurance system. Drones and intelligent monitoring devices are now in operation, ensuring zero incidents of bird electrocution in the park and zero faults on core power lines. Stable power has also supported forest-based industries: lion’s mane mushrooms cultivated in climate-controlled greenhouses are thriving, demonstrating a symbiotic model that protects birds while improving local livelihoods through ecological industries.

Staff of Dangchuan Power Supply Station, State Grid Tianshui Power Supply Company, Conducting Patrols and Temperature Checks

The ecological park’s expansion and upgrades are progressing in an orderly manner. Preparations are underway for Gansu’s first release of captive-bred crested ibises into the wild in the second half of 2026. The power utility has proactively optimized the forest power grid and upgraded supporting infrastructure, safeguarding crested ibis breeding and growth with green and smart power.

(Text/Photo by Wen Chenyu, Luo Xingru, and Wang Yuqi)