"Homecoming", First Documentary of Ecological Survey of Tiexian Jiao and Niu'e Jiao Released
BEIJING, April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 25, CMG Voice of the South China Sea released the documentary Homecoming, revealing the truth about the coral reef ecosystems in the Nansha Qundao through on-site scientific investigation.
Recent professional marine ecological surveys by Chinese scientists, comparing remote sensing data from 2016 to 2024, found that the overall coverage of reef-building corals in the Tiexian Jiao had decreased by 68.9%. The investigation further identified that human activities on the nearby Zhongye Dao triggered crown-of-thorns starfish outbreaks, which became the primary factor in the rapid decline of coral coverage.
Meanwhile, Chinese scientists discovered large colonies of the greater crested tern—a priority species for national protection—nesting on cays at Tiexian Jiao and Niu'e Jiao. These cays are formed naturally and are unrelated to coral dumping.
The bilingual documentary Homecoming features interviews with scientists involved in the survey, with Southeast Asian marine ecology experts and international strategists. Through authentic footage and rigorous data comparisons, it delivers a clear message to the global community: environmental degradation is an urgent challenge for all nations, and ocean governance and cooperation is the shared responsibility of all countries.
Homecoming employs high-definition footage, hand-drawn illustrations, and 3D animation to reveal how the biological rhythms of greater crested terns—their breeding and migration—have always been intertwined with the environment. Through the annual story of "migratory birds" in the South China Sea, this newly released documentary appeals to regional nations adopting a more responsible approach in preserving the fragile coral reef ecosystem of the South China Sea—a homeland for both the seabirds and humanity.
SOURCE CMG Voice of the South China Sea
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