Zhejiang museum team seeks island seabird monitors

The Chinese crested tern research and conservation team at the Zhejiang Museum of Natural History has reached out to the public to recruit seabird monitors to be stationed on islands off the coast.

The recruitment drive aims to enlist monitors to safeguard the Chinese crested terns, often dubbed "the birds of legend". Twelve positions are up for grabs on islands off the coasts of three cities in Zhejiang province: Ningbo, Wenzhou and Zhoushan.

Successful candidates will have their accommodations and meal costs covered and earn 300 yuan ($41) per day. Safety measures are in place, and the employees will have access to regular supply shipments, electricity, a mobile phone network and WiFi.

The recruitment announcement has sparked considerable interest among netizens, who have been drawn to the attractive perks and manageable responsibilities. Many see the island assignment as an opportunity for a unique getaway.

The Chinese crested tern was first recorded in Indonesia in 1861, but appeared to vanish after the 1940s. Ornithologists once believed the species might have gone extinct. However, more than 60 years later, the seabird was rediscovered on islands along the coastal areas of the eastern Chinese provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang.

The birds have been the focus of conservation efforts in Zhejiang since 2013. Innovative methods such as audio recordings of tern calls have been employed to attract them so that they stay in the area and breed.

Since 2017, the team has recruited volunteers annually to monitor the birds. Their duties include bird counting and tagging, observing their migration patterns and maintaining facilities.

Critical to the role, monitors are tasked with using binoculars, cameras and other surveillance equipment to observe and record terns' breeding habits, nest locations, egg-laying times, incubation periods and predator interference.

Fan Zhongyong, an official with the Chinese crested tern research and conservation team, emphasized the importance of applicants having prior experience in bird observation and monitoring. While the job may sound attractive, Fan said that the reality of island life and work is far from simple.

Each breeding season, Fan's team accompanies new monitors to the islands. Transportation is difficult and involves taking ferries and then fishing boats.

Transporting essential supplies, including water, food, gas, cooking utensils and equipment, requires manual labor due to the distance between living quarters and the rocky terrain of the birds' habitat. Supplies are replenished every 10 days, and waste is collected for removal by supply boats.

"Conditions are quite challenging," Fan said. "Though the living quarters on Xiangshan's Jiushan Islands were upgraded last year, the absence of fresh water necessitates supplies being delivered by boat, and electricity depends solely on solar power."

Fan said that Pingyu Island, an uninhabited island off Wenzhou, poses even greater challenges than the other two sites.

"The electricity supply barely meets demand," Fan explained. "As for water, drinking and cooking take priority, but it is hard to take a proper shower."

Despite the hardships, many people are eager for the opportunity, motivated by their love of nature and the ability to safeguard the seabirds.

He Jibai is one of the monitors. He said that he has had a lifelong passion for nature and relishes the opportunity to spend four months on the island.

Fan Wenhao, another monitor, recounted a touching moment when she saw Chinese crested tern chicks hatch on Pingyu last July.

"The uncertainty surrounding the chicks' survival kept our emotions in flux for months," he said.

Through years of concerted efforts, the Chinese crested tern population has shown signs of recovery, with their global population estimated to have surpassed 200.

Yu Yin in Ningbo contributed to the story.

mazhenhuan@chinadaily.com.cn