White egrets inhabit Fangchenggang. [Photo by Nong Rusong/Guangxi Daily]

Fangchenggang has strived to create favorable ecological environment for the habitation and breeding of egrets in recent years.

As a port city in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Fangchenggang has established three national nature reserves and attracted thousands of egrets from March to September every year.

Thousands of egrets gather in Fangchenggang to inhabit and breed from March to September every year. [Photo by Nong Rusong/Guangxi Daily]

China Wildlife Conservation Association awarded Fangchenggang the title of "China's egret hometown" in January 2012, making it the first prefecture-level city to win the title in China. Many local residents of Fangchenggang love and protect egrets, and catch fish for them as food.

Egrets and humans are in harmonious coexistence. [Photo by Nong Rusong/Guangxi Daily]

At present, Fangchenggang has seven egret breeding grounds with an area reaching 340,000 hectares. It has five kinds of egrets, including some endangered types. During the breeding season, the number of egrets in Fangchenggang can reach over 300,000.

By Feng Lu and edited by Andrew Ancheta