XINING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- The State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company has installed over 5,000 artificial bird nests in the Sanjiangyuan area, northwest China's Qinghai Province, to boost biodiversity conservation, the company said Thursday.
The Sanjiangyuan area, known as China's "water tower," is home to the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow, and Lancang rivers, and boasts among the highest levels of high-altitude biodiversity in the world.
The area is now home to approximately 300 species of birds, including over 20 raptors such as golden eagles, saker falcons and upland buzzards.
In 2016, the State Grid Qinghai Electric Power Company launched a project to build nests on electricity transmission poles and towers for birds in the Sanjiangyuan area. The project integrated the concept of ecological protection into the construction of the power grid, creating a mutually beneficial solution that not only provides safe, comfortable and stable homes for birds but also ensures the uninterrupted transmission of electricity.
This conservation effort has yielded significant results. Currently, the company has successfully attracted birds to nest in more than 2,600 of the 5,053 artificial nests installed.
The company also unveiled a bird protection action plan this year to comprehensively promote harmonious coexistence between power grids and rare bird species in the area.
In addition, the company will implement new nest installations while optimizing existing sites. The optimization includes relocating long-unoccupied nests to areas with higher concentrations of birds, thereby enhancing both utilization efficiency and scientific deployment of these conservation structures. ■
