China's milu deer population grows 200-fold since 1985

An international symposium in Beijing has highlighted China's four-decade effort to bring the milu deer back from the brink of extinction, with scientists praising the project as a global benchmark for wildlife reintroduction.

The 2025 International Symposium on Milu and Ecological Conservation, held from Oct 24 to 25 as part of the Zhongguancun Forum series, drew more than 100 zoologists, ecologists, and conservationists from nine countries.

China's reintroduction program began in 1985 as a collaboration with the United Kingdom. Since then, the milu population has risen from just 77 animals to around 15,000, a 200-fold increase.

Limited initially to two reserves in Beijing and Jiangsu province, the deer are now found across much of the country. Officials say more than 100 breeding populations have been established in 27 provinces.

Efforts to restore wild populations have also made massive strides, with six groups now thriving in various regions and numbering over 6,000 animals. Experts say this network represents the world's largest and most comprehensive system for milu conservation.