QINGDAO is now home to about 100,000 gulls, a bird expert in Qingdao Wang Ximing said recently.

There are 15 species of gull, some of which spend the winter in Qingdao and leave at the end of April while some settle down.

About 17 years ago, there were only two types of gull in Qingdao, 2,000 in total. By 2007, the numbers had increased to nine and 50,000 respectively.

The growing number of gull species is due to residents’ efforts to protect the birds and the city’s favorable coastal environment, Wang said.

(Jane Lai, Wang Leijiang)