calendar>>May 12. 2021 Juche 110
Ideal Wetlands for Water Birds in DPRK
Pyongyang, May 12 (KCNA) -- The DPRK, encircled by the sea, has many wetlands favorable for inhabitation of migratory water birds.

Among them are wetlands in Kumya region which cover the vast area around Songjon Bay on the east coast of Korea.

As the wetlands are abundant in rich fauna and flora resources, they have served as a habitat and reserve for migratory birds.

The area around downstream of Kumya and Tokji rivers which flow to the East Sea of Korea is one of the main habitats where many water birds fly in. This area was designated as the Kumya Migratory Bird Reserve in Juche 84 (1995) as it has different types of wetlands favorable for the propagation of water birds like pond, muddy land, reed field, paddy field and saltern and rich fauna and flora resources like carp, mullet, shellfish, shrimp, aquatic animals, wateroat and reed.

The reserve was registered as the Network Site of the EAAF (East Asian-Australasian Flyway) in 2018 as migratory water birds accounting for over one percent of their total numbers in the world or the region stop there.

Another habitat is Hapho, a lagoon. Tens of kinds of water birds fly in the lagoon in February-March every year.

One hundred and tens of kinds of water birds fly into the wetlands in Kumya with diverse ecosystem every year. Grus japonensis and Cygnus olor estimated to reach five percent of their total numbers in the region, Cygnus Cygnus accounting for one percent of their total numbers in the region and Anser albifrons reaching seven percent of their total numbers in the region were observed in the wetlands. Observed there are also tens of thousands of water birds like Larus ridibundus, Anas penelope, Anas acuta, Aythya fuligula, Podiceps cristatus and Calidris alpina.

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