As the largest elk natural reserve in the world, the 78,000-hectare Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve is located near the Yellow Sea in Yancheng, East China's Jiangsu Province.

It's a typical coastal wetland of woodland, reeds, grassland at waterside, swamps and salt barrens.

Elk numbers are rising at the reserve: There are 5,681 elks in the wetlands including 1,820 wild elks.

The reserve has the largest population of elk in the world, accounting for more than 60 percent of the world total. (Photos: People's Daily; Compiled by Long Wei; Editor:Zhang Jiang)