In Sihong county underneath the prefecture-level metropolis of Suqian in Jiangsu province, the Hongze Lake Wetland spans for some 50,000 hectares, drawing almost 1 million migratory birds to breed and overwinter there yearly, making it a veritable “birds” paradise”.
These embrace some uncommon birds such because the Oriental White Storks, which frolic freely within the wetland — one of many nation’s first nationwide innovation base for working towards the idea that “Green mountains and clear water are equal to mountains of gold and silver”.
However, the birds’ migration just isn’t all the time clean as a result of in the event that they encounter dangerous climate, inadequate meals provide, or damage and sickness, some birds could also be pressured to fall behind and even fall to the bottom.
To mark World Wetland Day, which falls on Feb 2 this 12 months, the native department of the State Grid — a State-owned enterprise and likewise the world’s largest utility enterprise — arrange the primary migratory fowl rescue station within the wetland, along with the institution of a “Protect Transmission Lines and Love Birds” volunteer crew.
“With the rescue station, it’s like offering emergency remedy for birds. It can maximize medical intervention for uncommon birds, alleviate their ache and promote their rehabilitation,” stated Li Mofeng, captain of volunteer crew from Suqian Power Supply Co of the State Grid.
The rescue station is situated underneath a synthetic fowl nest, with a measurement of two sq. meters and outfitted with varied emergency medicine akin to iodine, bandages and scissors, in addition to ample meals and water provide.
“Once injured birds are discovered, our rescue station can play a job much like that of an emergency ambulance, offering speedy medical remedy and guaranteeing their security,” Li stated.
Li stated because the birds develop in quantity, the Oriental White Stork and different uncommon birds prefer to nest on “remoted bushes,” and the transmission towers within the wetland have turn out to be their most well-liked “settlement”.
He added that the birds’ nesting supplies are various, together with branches, wires and woven baggage, that are vulnerable to fall on high-voltage strains, resulting in quick circuits. Meanwhile, fowl droppings touchdown on insulated porcelain bottles could cause discharge, resulting in line failures. Once quick circuits or different failures occur to the strains, it could possibly be deadly to birds.
To clear up the issue of “birds competing with the facility strains”, the State Grid Suqian Power Supply Co has put in greater than 300 protecting boundaries on nesting towers to forestall fowl droppings and nesting branches from falling onto the wires and inflicting line short-circuit failures.
In 2023, the native energy provider recognized three appropriate habitats within the wetland to build a “standalone villa” for birds with 18-meter-high concrete poles, attracting Oriental White Storks to make nests there.
This is a inexperienced improvement mode of pleasant coexistence between uncommon fowl species and energy transmission strains, and likewise a standardized rescue strategy of “patrol-protection-rescue”, Li stated.
He stated the volunteer crew consists of 30 folks, who’re primarily energy line inspectors, monitoring the facility provide strains and surrounding surroundings by way of guide inspection or by utilizing cloud platforms. Once they discover that birds are injured or at risk, they will provoke emergency help.
Wang Songzhu, Li’s colleague, stated they’re so glad to start out the transfer, and it was an amazing factor to see the birds develop in quantity.
He added that since 2022, three pairs of Oriental White Stork {couples} have nested on high-voltage transmission towers, giving start to 11 little white storks.
Wang pressured that they’ll totally leverage the position of the migratory fowl rescue station and work with the native authorities, selling the job of defending transmission strains and birds and biodiversity safety.
