A recent biodiversity survey in Dapeng has recorded the first infrared camera footage of the fairy pitta, a nationally protected species, along with the discovery of a rare orchid and a new seabird record for the city, researchers said.

A fairy pitta. File photo

Survey staff identified clear images of the fairy pitta, a small, brightly colored bird listed as a second-class nationally protected species and considered vulnerable globally. The bird, typically elusive and habitat-sensitive, was observed foraging on the forest floor during migration.

Researchers also documented the presence of Paphiopedilum purpuratum, a first-class nationally protected wild plant species.

In a separate finding, three pomarine jaegers were spotted about 50 kilometers off the southern coast of the Dapeng Peninsula. Experts confirmed the seabirds as a new record for Shenzhen. The migratory species, which breeds in Arctic regions and winters in tropical seas, is rarely seen in nearshore waters.

Researchers said the sightings indicate healthy local ecosystems and provide valuable data for biodiversity conservation and marine ornithology.