China's Shishou Milu National Nature Reserve (SSNNR) in Tian-e-zhou wetland of the Yangtze River in Shishou City, central China's Hubei Province, recently held an event marking the 40th anniversary of the Milu's return to China, where experts revealed that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has officially adopted the Chinese transliteration "Milu" as the species' international name, replacing "Pere David's Deer."

Milu, commonly known as "sibuxiang" in Chinese, which means "four-unlikes" for their distinctive appearance, are a species native to China with references found in ancient texts such as the book of Mencius, the Book of Rites and the Compendium of Materia Medica. Meng Qinghui, a researcher at the Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, noted that the character "Mi" appeared as early as in China's oracle bone scripts.

In 1865, French missionary and zoologist Armand David first described the animal to Western science. Recognizing it as a new species, Western scientists named it "Pere David's Deer."

By the early 20th century, Milu were taken by foreigners to European zoos, leading to the extinction of the native Milu in China. The 11th Duke of Bedford purchased the last remaining 18 individuals from zoos in Paris, Berlin and elsewhere and kept them at Woburn Abbey in England. In 1985, China and the United Kingdom signed an agreement to reintroduce the species, and 22 Milu were returned to China.

The Shishou Milu reserve was later founded, receiving 64 Milu from Beijing between 1993 and 1994. In 1991, the Hubei provincial government approved the establishment of the SSNNR.

After decades of conservation, the population has expanded from the original 64 to more than 4,500, including over 1,600 wild individuals. The core protected population has reached 2,901, with wild herds having spread across more than ten counties and cities in Hubei and Hunan provinces and forming four natural populations.

Yang Guoxiang, Party secretary of the reserve, said that local authorities have restored 23,000 mu (about 1,533 hectares) of habitat to provide conditions close to Milu's natural environment. John MacKinnon, a professor at University of Kent who has visited the reserve twice, praised the strong recovery of the species' wild instincts – using the term "Milu" in both visits.

Meng recalled that a Chinese Milu researcher once submitted a paper to an international journal using the term "Milu." During the review process, the reviewers said they did not understand the meaning of the term. After the researcher explained, the reviewers gladly accepted it and encouraged the continuous use of the term "Milu" in future submissions "to maintain academic continuity."

Source: ECNS