SANYA - The White-browed crake, a rare bird species, has been seen at a wetland park in Sanya City, South China's Hainan province.

The White-browed crake is a small-billed bird around 20 cm long, with distinctive markings on the head and white eyebrows. They usually live in subtropical or tropical mangrove forests and can be found in Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Fiji, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and China.

The rare bird's conservation status has been classified as LC (least concern) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

Veteran bird-watcher Lu Gang said that the bird's presence in Sanya indicated that local environmental protection efforts were bearing fruit.

Sanya has been improving the ecology of its inland wetlands and coastal waters over the years.