In the suburbs of Beijing, a herd of milu deer grazes leisurely in meadows on the banks of the Yongding River, their fawns playfully splashing in the water nearby. This serene picture once seemed almost unimaginable, considering that these creatures had been declared extinct in China.

"Forty years ago, 22 milu deer were returned to China from the United Kingdom, marking the comeback for the species. Its population has since grown to over 14,000, through artificial breeding and reintroduction into the wild," said Bai Jiade, director of the Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center.

Milu deer, also known as Pere David's deer, are endemic to China, where they bear the nickname sibuxiang, or "like none of the four" due to their unique features — a horse's face, a donkey's tail, cow-like hooves and a stag's antlers.

During the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), milu deer were a rare sight, confined to the royal hunting park of Nanhaizi in Beijing. However, at the end of the 19th century, flooding from the Yongding River breached the park's walls, allowing the deer to escape and ultimately become prey for starving locals. In 1900, the remaining milu deer in the park were killed and taken by the Eight-Nation Alliance — troops from Britain, the United States, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Italy and Austria-Hungary — resulting in their extinction in China.

Fortunately, following continuous appeals and arduous efforts, China reintroduced milu deer from the UK. Starting in August 1985, 77 milu deer were brought back in three batches to Nanhaizi and to Yancheng city in Jiangsu province.

"We aim to sustain the milu deer's population, ensure their healthy reproduction, preserve genetic diversity and rebuild a wild population," Bai said.

Since the return of the milu deer, scientists have achieved breakthroughs in disease control, breeding and genetics. A genetic resource bank for milu deer has been established to preserve genetic diversity, and measures have been implemented to prevent inbreeding, thereby reducing the incidence of animal diseases. Additionally, milu deer have been relocated to various places to establish new herds, paving the way for their reintroduction to the wild.

Bai said that the significance of milu deer conservation extends far beyond the continuation of a single species. By grazing on plants such as reeds in wetland ecosystems, milu deer effectively prevent dominant species from overbreeding, thus preserving the habitat for other plants. Meanwhile, their dung can also nourish aquatic life.

"Milu deer are like 'engineers' of the wetland ecosystem. They naturally regulate the ecological balance through their life activities," Bai said. He added that the milu deer's population expansion also exerts pressure on the habitat, and scientists are conducting research to find the optimal balance between the species and wetlands.

"I brought my child to meet the milu deer close, and he was absolutely thrilled. We learned about their important role in the ecosystem," said a Beijing resident surnamed Li during an activity on Sunday to mark the 40th anniversary of the milu deer's return to China in Nanhaizi.

China has established 95 milu deer reserves across 26 provincial-level regions, and has established the National Conservation and Research Center for Milu. Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, former executive secretary of the Secretariat for the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, hailed China's protection work on milu deer as a reference model for the protection of other endangered species worldwide.

Bai said that his team is consistently working to minimize genetic risks and improve the environmental carrying capacity of milu deer habitats.

"Milu deer conservation remains a long-term commitment," he added.

Xinhua