2018年CRI China's second largest freshwater lake sees increasing migratory birds

 

Located in Hunan Province, Dongting Lake, the second largest freshwater lake in China, has witnessed an increasing number of migratory¹ birds in recent winters. 

Local authorities have attributed the phenomenon to remarkable² improvements in the lake's ecological³ environment .

CRI's reporter Huang Yue has more.

Covering an area of 1,900 square kilometers, the East Dongting Lake National Reserve is an important winter habitat for waterfowls.

Zhang Hong, deputy director of the reserve, says that a larger number of birds are expected to arrive here this winter than in previous years.

"A few years ago, there were about 100-thousand to 120-thousand birds inhabiting Dongting Lake for the winter. Based on our observation and estimates, I believe there can be over 170-thousand migratory birds arriving here this winter season."

According to Zhang, the increase of migratory birds in the reserve is not only in their numbers, but also in the number of species.

He says this suggests an environmental improvement of the reserve, as birds naturally choose the most suitable environment for themselves.

"In 2002, there were only around 200 types of birds in the East Dongting Lake National Reserve. When we published the Bird Communiqué on April 1, 2017, the number was 345. While by early December 2017, the number reached 348."

In order to encourage the public to participate in the protection of Dongting Lake's environment, the local government has organized bird-watching festivals and competitions every two years.

Some local residents have also brought injured birds to the reserve for rescue, once they find them.

Zhang Hong adds that there is still a lot of work China needs to do to protect the birds, as well as the ecological environment of wetlands, especially in terms of legislation and scientific research.

"Firstly, we need to speed up legislation on the protection of wetlands and natural reserves. Secondly⁴, the long-term management mechanism⁵ needs to be sound. Thirdly, we also need to further scientific research in this area. With joint⁶ efforts, I believe our ecological environment will continue to improve."

As one of the largest impounded lakes of the Yangtze River, Dongting Lake has a strong flood storage capacity. 

It has protected central China from flood disasters many times in history.

The local government started to strengthen the management of the lake in 2006. 

Statistics show the local police have uncovered 31 cases related to illegal bird hunting and 16 people have received criminal punishment in the past five years. 

28 hunting guns have been confiscated⁷, and more than 1,000 pieces of netting used in bird hunting have been found and removed from the Dongting Lake area.

China published a national plan for the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in September 2016 to boost concerted development in riverside regions and provide new growth drivers for the country's economy. 

Environmental protection and restoration were listed as paramount⁸ tasks in the plan.

For CRI, this is Huang Yue.

1 migratory   

n.候鸟，迁移

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• This does not negate the idea of migratory aptitude.这并没有否定迁移能力这一概念。

2 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

3 ecological   

adj.生态的，生态学的

参考例句：

• The region has been declared an ecological disaster zone.这个地区已经宣布为生态灾难区。
• Each animal has its ecological niche.每种动物都有自己的生态位.

4 secondly   

adv.第二，其次

参考例句：

• Secondly,use your own head and present your point of view.第二，动脑筋提出自己的见解。
• Secondly it is necessary to define the applied load.其次，需要确定所作用的载荷。

5 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

6 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

7 confiscated   

没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Their land was confiscated after the war. 他们的土地在战后被没收。
• The customs officer confiscated the smuggled goods. 海关官员没收了走私品。

8 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。