NANJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- In a wetland park in the industrial hub of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province, east China, an AI-powered system tracks bird species, among which is the critically endangered Baer's pochard.

Installed at a biodiversity observatory in the district of Xinwu, the system can identify species and analyze population dynamics and behavioral patterns. Since its deployment in late 2024, the system has logged more than 30,000 bird activity video records.

"The large-scale appearance of Baer's pochards reflects a significant improvement in the local ecosystem," said Yin Songjiang, an official with the district's ecology and environment bureau.

This project offers a glimpse into how one of the nation's economic powerhouse provinces is leveraging smart technologies to protect the environment and biodiversity.

Jiangsu, a manufacturing heartland with a GDP of 13.7 trillion yuan (1.9 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2024, has been pioneering a new path that reconciles dense industrial development with vibrant biodiversity.

According to the Department of Ecology and Environment of Jiangsu Province, it has been redefining environmental stewardship with AI and digital tools, making ecological governance more precise, dynamic and effective.

TECH-DRIVEN POLLUTION CONTROL

In Jiangning District in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu Province, high-tech instruments track air pollutants like PM2.5 in real time.

"Airborne pollutants cannot escape the scrutiny of our automated systems," said Wang Xin, deputy director of the Jiangning district department of ecology and environment. "Once detected, the pollution source is automatically reported, enabling swift and targeted pollution response."

Official data show that Jiangsu saw 82.5 percent of its days with good air quality last year, a 4.6-percentage-point improvement year-on-year and the best record since 2013.

Local authorities have also beefed up efforts to monitor and tackle water pollution.

Along riverbanks in the city of Suzhou, compact monitoring outposts autonomously analyze pollutants and transmit data. Drones equipped with infrared and high-definition cameras monitor river temperatures and detect illicit wastewater discharges.

Taihu Lake, China's third-largest freshwater lake, reported its best water quality in three decades in 2024. A smart dredging vessel capable of removing 5,000 cubic meters of nutrient-rich silt daily has helped suppress algal blooms.

A multilayered smart surveillance network, spanning satellite remote sensing, AI-powered hyperspectral drone imagery, and underwater sensors, tracks algae and dissolved oxygen in real time.

SMART BIODIVERSITY MONITORING

In Jiangsu's biodiversity database, wildlife footage is updated in real time. A few clicks can reveal infrared footage of a Pere David's deer -- an endangered species now thriving in Yancheng, home to the world's largest wild herd of the animal. From just 39 deer in 1986, the population there has soared to 8,216 today.

Jiangsu's embrace of intelligent observation tools is redefining how species are tracked and studied.

In Nanjing's Jiangxinzhou wetland park, 11 smart video stations help to monitor key species. Along the banks of the Yangtze River, the world's third-longest river, night-vision laser cameras capture footage of the elusive Yangtze finless porpoise.

Nanjing has become the first city in China where this critically endangered freshwater mammal can be observed in the downtown area. In 2024, there were more than 1,800 sightings, a figure more than double that recorded five years ago.

According to the provincial department of ecology and environment, Jiangsu is home to 8,842 species, an extraordinary number for a heavily industrialized region.

These efforts have yielded tangible economic returns. In 2024, Jiangsu's ecotourism destinations welcomed 300 million visitors, generating over 16 billion yuan in direct revenues.

The province has also passed a local regulation for biodiversity protection and plans to establish 20 AI-powered biodiversity observatories in key areas by the end of this year.

"These smart observatories will lay a solid foundation for long-term biodiversity monitoring and scientific research," said Wu Jun, an official with the provincial ecology and environment department. ■