The Anhui Yangtze Alligator National Nature Reserve has reported a hatching boom, with 210 baby alligators emerging as of August 14. The first 15 hatched on August 9 -- six days earlier than last year. Experts predict over 1,600 will be born this season, marking a significant boost for the endangered "living fossil" thanks to advances in artificial breeding techniques. #Trending #ChorusofLife | CCTV

Today is National Alligator Day! Unfortunately, Chinese alligators, like Bumi, are ranked as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and there are fewer than 200 in the wild today. The populations are still rapidly declining due to extreme habitat fragmentation and loss, also, their food resources are contaminated by fertilizers and pesticides used for agriculture. Unless extreme actions are taken, the Chinese alligator may become extinct in the wild. Zoos and conservation organizations are w