Officials are planning to build a bird protection zone on Beigan Hill in Qingpu District of Shanghai.

Located in the city's western suburbs, the hill attracts more than 40,000 birds of 38 species, most of which are egrets including some 40 egretta eulophotes, a second-grade protected animal in China, according to a survey by Zhang Haifeng of the Qingpu District Science and Technology Commission.

"The large number of trees attracts the great number of birds," said Zhang. "And the protection by a garrison troop stationing at the hill also contributes a lot to the hill's harmonious ecological environment."

"Birds began to flock to the area since the 1980s or 1990s," said Yu Weidong, associate professor at Shanghai Teachers University and an expert in bird protection. "And a bird habitat of such a high density is rare in the city."

"The protection zone should be different from the traditional one which covers an extreme large space," Yu explained. "What we want is a relatively smaller one."

He said there isn't enough area around the hill for a large protection zone.

"We should fully utilize the area nearby to expand the habitat," Yu said, noting the zone could attract tourism.

(eastday.com August 5, 2004)