Wild birds must be protected

To protect birds dying from hunters and poison reservoirs is undoubtedly a crucial part of ecological care, says an article from The Beijing News. Excerpts:

According to The Beijing News, another eight oriental white storks were confirmed dead from man-made poisoning in reservoirs in Beidagang Natural Reserve in Tianjin on Tuesday.

To date, 21 oriental white storks have been killed in the Beidagang Natural Reserve, a major habitat during their migratory journeys.

Oriental white storks are listed as first-grade State protected animals, which means they are regarded as precious as pandas. There are only 2,500 to 3,000 of the birds in China.

It is said that the State Forestry Administration and the policy bureau have carried out further investigations into the deaths. 

The death of the oriental white storks, coupled with the increasing number of birds killed by hunters year after year, has exposed our negligence and ignorance in protecting birds, even endangered ones. 

The report of the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China has attached great importance to ecological objectives, along with economic, political, cultural and social constructions, as top of the CPC’s agenda, which fully demonstrates the urgency of ecological conservation.

Birds play an important role in ecological chains, and in the beauty of nature. To save them from being slaughtered during migrant seasons is a crucial move to ecological construction.

In light of this, more measures are called for from responsible authorities, especially during migrant seasons when we need to maintain keen vigilance and to strengthen patrols over wild birds.

Meanwhile, thorough investigation should be undertaken to hunt down those who conspired in illegal activities to harm the endangered species.  

More importantly, the concept of ecological civilization should not be confined, as it is in the eyes of most people, to taking care of fresh air and water. Some people are indifferent about wild animals and kill them for food and for fun. An ecological objective for protecting wild animals needs to be realized by everyone. 

It is the protection from everybody in the community that forms the social foundation for ecological civilization.