Hainan goes wild

The forestry administration of Hainan Province announced on Sunday a one-month survey of wildlife on and around the South China Sea Islands.

The survey is China's first to cover the entire ecosystem of the islands, the administration said in a statement.

The survey, covering marine life, birds and amphibians, aims to help better protect the wildlife and their habitats, said Jiang Haisheng, a project researcher at South China Normal University.

"We welcome non-governmental environmentalists and volunteers to join our investigation," added Jiang.

Miners suffer in Hunan

Seven miners have been killed in a gas blast in Hunan Province Sunday.

The accident occurred at about 6:45 am at the Xiangzhong Coal Mine in the city of Lianyuan, the city government said. Thirty-nine miners managed to escape.

An investigation into the exact cause of the accident has begun.

Xiangzhong Coal Mine has an annual production capacity of 60,000 tons.

In a separate mine accident in the city of Leiyang in the province, three miners were brought out early Sunday after being trapped for three days in  a flooded colliery pit.

Eleven trapped miners in the Qielichong colliery were confirmed alive Saturday night.

Xinhua - Global Times