Glossy ibis, which is a rare bird species under the second-class state protection, was spotted in the Shangri-La Napahai scenic area by a post-graduate and his mentor with the Kunming-based Southwest Forestry University.  

It is the first time that the bird is captured in Shangri-La, northwest Yunnan, and the Napahai scenic area is by far the highest recorded habitat for the species.

Across Yunnan, the glossy ibis was first seen in June 2012 in Yuxi City, and in the ensuing years their activities have been recorded more than 20 times, with a maximum population of 18 at a single time.

With the improved environment in recent years, the glossy ibis also appeared in other Chinese provinces.

Reporting by Xiao Linna; trans-editing by Wang Shixue