China has always practiced the concept of green development, strengthened the construction of ecological civilization, continuously improved the efficiency of resource conservation and intensive utilization, continuously improved the quality of the ecological environment, significantly enhanced the people's sense of gain, happiness and security in the beautiful ecological environment, and continuously promoted the harmonious coexistence between man and nature.
The National Highway 218 Dun Mazha to Narathi Expressway project, located in the eastern part of the Ili River Valley, with a total investment of 480 million yuan, is an important part of Xinjiang's high-speed and high-grade highway network. On June 25, 2018, an environmental volunteer team called "Guarding the Wilderness" published an online article titled "Emergency! The message to rescue or kill the excavator's pink starlings appealed: "As long as the construction period is suspended, tens of thousands of pink starlings can be saved." ”
Tips: Pink starling, scientific name Sturnus roseus, medium size, adult body length 19 ~ 22 cm, weight 60 ~ 73 grams, flying feathers, tail feathers are bright black, shaped like a myna, but the back and abdomen are pink, so called pink starling. In 2000, it was included in the "List of Terrestrial Wild Animals Protected by the State that are Beneficial or Have Important Economic and Scientific Research Value"
Pink starling
The pink starling is mainly concentrated in Eurasia and is a migratory bird that migrates to warmer South Asian regions such as India in winter. They mainly feed on locusts, and the amount of food is amazing, preying on 120 to 180 locusts every day, becoming the main force of biological locust extermination. Known as the "Steppe IronClad". He prefers to nest on cliffs, rock piles, caves or on the ground. In Nilke County, Xinjiang, eight giant nests were built for pink starlings, and herders spontaneously pile up stones every year to attract pink starlings.
Pink starling distribution area
In January 2018, the project's construction party, PetroChina (Xinjiang) Petroleum Engineering Co., Ltd.' national highway 218 pier Maza to Narathi Expressway Project Department, the project owner of PetroChina, blasted the mountain through which the road must pass, forming a gravel pile about 200 meters long. In May, a flock of migrating pink starlings hit the rubble piles and built their nests on them to breed. If construction continues, pink starling chicks are likely to die, affecting reproduction.
Pink starlings nesting in gravel piles
After the construction party discovered the above situation, in order to protect the natural ecology, it was decided to stop work for one month to provide an environment for thousands of pink starlings to safely brood.
(1) Arrange personnel to clean up the rubble on the mountain, and dig a separation ditch above the stone pile and between the mountain to prevent the stones from rolling down and harming birds.
(2) Fences are built around the pink starling breeding area with brightly colored green soft nets, and 6 warning signs and billboards such as "Starling Hatchery Area" and "Love Birds, Everyone Is Responsible" have been set up to prevent people and animals from entering at will and causing damage.
(3) Before the pink starlings have fully hatched and flown away, send people to conduct on-site patrols.
Fences protect breeding grounds
In July, after on-site inspection and verification, the local regulatory authorities informed the construction party through official documents: "As of now, there are no pink starlings in the habitat hatching and breeding area, and you agree to resume construction." ”
According to statistics, there are thousands of pink starlings nesting and breeding in this place, and the number of hatched chicks is also very impressive. These chicks will prey on locusts when they grow up, protect grasslands, crops, etc. from locusts, and play a good biological control role. Based on an average of 150 locusts per day, it is estimated that 2,000 pink starlings can eat 300,000 locusts a day! Not only the pink starlings are protected, but also the crops grown and the ecological balance is maintained.
Tips: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, a 1-square-kilometer swarm of locusts (a total of about 50 million animals) can feed about 35,000 people a day.
Pink starlings that prey on locusts
"When the ecology prospers, civilization prospers, and when the ecology declines, civilization declines." The harmonious relationship between man and nature in ancient and modern China and abroad confirms the impact of a good ecological environment on the survival and development of human society. China is conscientious and responsible in promoting the construction of ecological civilization and promoting green development, sustainable development and high-quality development.
As the person in charge of the project said: "Although the shutdown has a great impact on the project, causing a loss of nearly 1 million yuan, it is worth it from the perspective of protecting animals and the ecological environment, and protecting the pink starling is to protect the grassland." ”