An Estimation of the Current Population Size of Green Peafowl(Pavo muticus imperator)in China

LI Shuhong CUI Duoying* HUA Rong John CORDERZHANG Jing LIU Jia HUANG Song GUO Guang LUO AidongCHANG Jiang PU Tianchun ZHANG Chenglin LI Xiaoguang

(1.Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technologies，Beijing Zoo，Beijing，100044，China；2.World Pheasant Association，Middle，Ninebanks，Hexham，Northumberland，NE47 8DL，UK；3.Kunming Zoo，Kunming，650021，China；4.Wildlife Conservation and Management Bureau of Lincang City，Lincang，Yunnan，677000，China；5.Management Bureau of Yunnan Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve，Jinghong，Yunnan，666100，China；6.State Key Laboratory of Environmental Criteria and Risk Assessment，Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences，Beijing，100012，China)

Abstract：The endangered green peafowl(Pavo muticus imperator)in China is now only found in Yunnan Province.With the aim of assessing the species’ current status and providing a scientific basis for its protection，we conducted letter surveys and field investigations in the central，southern and western parts of Yunnan Province from 2015 to 2018.In field investigations，we used line transect analysis，sample point methods and interview surveys to record the population and distribution of green peafowl.There were about 235-280 green peafowl in China，which has significantly decreased from the 800-1，100 individuals 20 years ago.The distribution range has been sharply reduced from 32 counties in 1995 to the current 13 counties of Yunnan Province.The birds prefer to live in tropical and subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests and low-density Simao pine trees(Pinus kesiya)along the river valleys in Yunnan Province.However，because of habitat destruction and fragmentation，they now live in small isolated family groups with very limited distribution.We hope that green peafowl populations can be recovered by creating a captive population which might eventually be used to reinforce the dwindling wild population，and also by introducing biological research in the key distribution zones.

Key words： Green peafowl；Population number；Distribution；Habitat；China

Introduction

Green peafowl(Pavomuticus)are the largest pheasants of the family Phasianidae and order Galliformes，and they are Grade I protected wildlife in China.They are listed from Vulnerable to Endangered in the IUCN Red List in 2009[1].There are three subspecies all over the world，which are named respectively：Javan green peafowl(P.m.muticus)，distributed in Java and Malaysia；Burmese green peafowl(P.m.spicifer)，distributed in southeastern Assam and western Myanmar；and Indo-Chinese green peafowl(P.m.imperator)，distributed in eastern Myanmar，southwestern China，Thailand and the Indochina region.The Indo-Chinese green peafowl in SW China is now only found in Yunnan Province.

A general survey of zoo captive wildlife of China in 2012 shows that the number of purebred green peafowl in domestic zoos and breeding institutions was almost zero(CUI Duoying，unpublished data).Due to the lack of knowledge about wildlife taxonomy and population ecology，green and blue peafowl (Pavocristatus)have been cross-bred for many years in domestic zoos，which have caused genetic contamination.As the original wild purebred green peafowl aged and died，their offspring were hybridized with blue peafowl，so Chinese zoos have virtually lost the ability to manageex-situconservation for the endangered green peafowl.Thus，questions have been raised about whether，and how to rebuild theex-situconservation population and this will rely on the correlative and complementary relationship between in-situ andex-situconservationists.We hope that the wild population size of green peafowl in China can be rejuvenated by means of captive breeding technology through the implementation of a re-introduction project.However，there has not yet been a systematic and comprehensive report on a baseline survey through the literature in the past two decades.The most recent record is that there were 800-1，100 green peafowl in Yunnan Province，SW China，at the end of the 20th century[2-4]，and other sporadic reports on the discovery and distribution[5-10].In order to clarify the distribution and resource status of this endangered species，Beijing Zoo is undertaking the ‘Field Rescue and Breeding of Rare and Endangered Species’ project by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China，and carrying out letter and field investigations in the concerned county forestry bureaus and nature reserves in Yunnan Province.

Study area

According to the research of Wen et al.[5]，green peafowl were historically distributed in Hunan，Hubei，Sichuan，Guangdong，Guangxi，and Yunnan Provinces.By the beginning of the 20th century，the distribution of this species in China has sharply shrunk to the central，southern and western parts of Yunnan Province.Combined with the investigation records of Wen et al.[2]and Yang et al.[6]，we conducted letter and field investigations around the cities of Yuxi，Chuxiong，Pu’er，Xishuangbanna，Linyi，Baoshan，Dehong，Nujiang，Diqing，Lijiang，and Dali in Yunnan Province.

Methods

Letter surveys were carried out with the relevant county forestry bureaus and nature reserves in September and October of 2015 in Yunnan Province.Field investigations were conducted according to the afore-mentioned questionnaires of letter surveys.Line transect methods，sample point methods，and interview surveys were used in our field investigations from 2016 to 2018.We used telescopes，videos and cameras for observation records，and judged the number and locations of male individuals and/or families by calls during the breeding period.For the interviews，we collected relevant information from local villagers，and viewed data from county forestry bureaus and nature reserves by infrared camera，respectively.

Results

The population and distribution of green peafowl in Yunnan Province，SW China are shown in Fig.1.The sites and estimated number of green peafowl from different counties in Yunnan Province in China are listed in Table 1.Green peafowl live mainly in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests and low-density Simao pine forests(Pinuskesiya)along the river valleys(cover photo).However，with over-hunting and habitat destruction，the population of green peafowl declined sharply.Green peafowl changed to living in small family groups which are distributed very thinly and usually isolated from each other.In this investigation，the species was mainly distributed in 13 counties，ranging around Longling County and Yongde County of the Nu River valley，Jinggu County in the Lancang River valley，as well as Shuangbai County and Xinping County along the branches of Yuan River(Figure 1).In summary，only 235-280 individuals were counted，which has significantly decreased from 800-1，100 individuals 20 years ago[3].

Conclusion

The number of wild green peafowl in China is between 235 and 280，which is significantly decreased compared with 20 years ago.The distribution range has been sharply reduced from 32 counties in 1995 to the current 13 counties in Yunnan Province.The main threats to green peafowl in China are：(1)Poaching.(2)Habitat destruction caused by deforestation，road and hydropower station construction，etc..(3)Habitat fragmentation，population isolation and inbreeding.(4)Pesticide seed-coating，rodenticides，poultry infectious diseases and intraspecific infection.(5)Genetic pollution by local captive blue peafowl.

Hence，to save the endangered green peafowl in China，we suggest that：(1)Identify 3 to 5 key distribution areas based on the field distribution of green peafowl.(2)Establish ambulances and a breeding center and rebuild the captive population in a key distribution zone，Kunming Zoo and Beijing Zoo，etc..(3)Undertake biological research into reintroduction procedures after the captive population develops and grows.(4)Publicity and education should be intensified to encourage conservation of the wild population，and poaching should be punished.In addition，feeding of blue peafowl as pets should be prohibited in the distribution of green peafowl to limit opportunities for genetic pollution between wild and domestic species.

Fig.1 The population and distribution of green peafowl in Yunnan Province，SW China(The figure was drawn in ArcGIS using 1∶4000，000 National Fundamental Geoinformation Database，which downloaded from National Geomatics Center of China)

Tab.1 Sites and estimated number of green peafowls in China

Tab.1

Acknowledgement

WeappreciateXIEZhong，theVicePresidentoftheChineseAssociationofZoologicalGardens，andchiefengineerLIUNonglinfortheirguidanceandhelpwiththeproject，aswellasthevigorouspromotionofpreviousbaselineinvestigationsforcaptivewildanimals.WealsothanktheleadersofBeijingMunicipalAdministrationCenterofParksandBeijingZoofortheirstrongsupportonthein-situconservationofgreenpeafowl.