the remaining wetlands are threatened by fitst development particularly the restoration of riccpaddics on the russian side supported by chinese capital and workforce which had mostly been abandoned years ago flumancaused fires lead to the degradation of ecosystems and further deforestation of the area especially in the russian federation the overharvesting of fish leads to the disappearance of valuable species and crossborder poaching is a major concern for border guards there has been local extinction of at least one species of bird asian crested ibis