On the afternoon of Oct 17, under a canopy of gray clouds and intermittent drizzle, a team of rehabilitators from Beijing Raptor Rescue Center ventured to a patch of grassland nestled within Wild Duck Lake Wetland in Beijing's Yanqing district.

Nearly 100 kilometers north of downtown Beijing, the park served as the backdrop for the release of a rescued short-toed snake eagle (Circaetus gallicus) back into the wild.

Li Zhisai, a raptor rehabilitator at the center, and her colleagues released the raptor — which had a pale colored underside and a dark brown head. Being outside a cage for the first time since May last year, the eagle soon flew away into the cloudy sky.

The release of the snake eagle marked yet another milestone for the center. Established in December 2001 through a collaborative effort between Beijing Normal University and the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the institution stands as the country's first facility dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of birds of prey. Over the years, it has received and treated over 6,000 raptors and organized more than 1,000 wildlife conservation and environmental education activities, according to Zheng Zhishan, manager at the center.

Among the many successful rescue stories, the bond forged with this short-toed snake eagle holds a special place in the hearts of Zheng and her team. This remarkable bird represented the 40th raptor species to find refuge at the center in its 23-year history.

Identified as No 230501 within the center, the eagle became a focal point of the team's efforts, requiring over a year of dedicated care and innovative treatments, including the intricate procedure of feather grafting.

"Compared to the many raptors we've nurtured back to health, No 230501 demanded an extraordinary amount of our time and expertise," Zheng said.