Protecting rare birds, a firm's loss from which all gain

A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region found a group of rosy starlings, a protected species of bird, nesting at a work site. The company suspended construction for one month to wait for the birds to finish their breeding. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Monday:

The company said they found there was a group of birds flying near their construction site as early as early June. Later, when they found the birds are rosy starlings, they suspended construction immediately.

A higher-level meeting decided to suspend construction for one month so that the birds would have ample time to finish breeding and hatching their young. Now the construction program is still in suspension, a move that is estimated will result in the company having to bear an extra cost of 1 million yuan ($150,791).