(ECNS) -- In recent days, the temperature has dropped to around minus 10 degrees Celsius in Karamay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. A group of white-headed ducks (Oxyura leucocephala), along with seven-month-old ducklings, have begun their migration south for the winter.

With the improvement of Xinjiang's ecological environment, white-headed ducks have been spotted inhabiting and breeding in Urumqi, Altay, and Karamay. The ducks’ numbers range from dozens to over a hundred in these areas.

This year, Wang Yujun, head of the Karamay branch of the China Wildlife Conservation Association's volunteer organization, observed over 20 white-headed ducks at the Guhai ecological park, a record high in this region within the past three years.

Zhao Lansheng, founder and president of the Karamay Wildlife and Plant Protection Association, stated that in recent years, various bird species, including swans, pelicans, black storks, and white-headed ducks, have been spotted in the region, which shows the ongoing improvement of the local environment.

A white-headed duck, which inspired the cartoon character "Donald Duck," is a globally endangered species and classified as a first-class protected wild animal in China.

According to statistics, there are only more than 13,000 white-headed ducks in the world, and they are mainly distributed in Europe, Central and West Asia, and Africa.