First mandarin ducklings of 2025 hatched at West Lake

Ten fluffy mandarin ducklings made their debut at Hangzhou's West Lake on Thursday morning, marking the arrival of the scenic area's first brood in 2025, reported People's Daily on Sunday.

The newborn ducklings were spotted paddling behind their mother near Beishan Street, a traditional nesting ground for the colorful waterfowl. After an initial swim, the mother led her brood ashore — a rare sight that prompted spontaneous protection efforts from volunteers and passersby, who formed a human barrier to shield the vulnerable chicks.

"This year's first hatch is special — the ducklings jumped from their tree hollow before their mother, which is unusual," said Cheng Guolong, leader of the West Lake Mandarin Duck Protection Team. The veteran conservationist captured precious images of the bold fledglings leaping from their nest at 8:15am.

Following annual tradition, volunteers named the ducklings after lines from a classic Chinese poem about West Lake's beauty. The firstborn was christened "Shuishui" (meaning water), with subsequent siblings receiving names from subsequent verses.

Authorities have installed signs throughout the lakeside warning visitors against feeding wildlife. The protection team's primary task now shifts to safeguarding the ducklings during their critical growth period, particularly by preventing well-meaning but harmful food offerings from tourists.

Mandarin ducks, celebrated in Chinese culture as symbols of marital fidelity, typically produce three to four broods annually at West Lake between April and July. Their population has rebounded in recent years thanks to conservation efforts, with 2024 seeing a record 68 ducklings survive to adulthood.