Chinese company actively involved in flamingo migration route protection

A Chinese company is actively involved in preserving the west lands in the southern harbor city of Lobito, a key part of the migration route of flamingos from neighboring Namibia to Kenya.

Thousands upon thousands of flamingos can be seen on the wet lands during peak time of migration though only hundreds of flamingos stopped by the wetland during the past week due to torrential rains, said Zhang Huaqiang, a project manager of China Harbor Engineering Company (China Harbor).

China Harbor, a key player in the reconstruction of harbors in the once war-torn African country, joined hands with local volunteers and governmental environmental protection organizations in safeguarding the wet lands, removed dustbins and levelled the banks of the two lakes to provide a better environment for the migrating birds.

The Chinese company also organized on-spot awareness campaigns on the wet lands to educate local residents and Chinese expatriates working in Lobito on the breeding, growth and habits of flamingos and joined local volunteers to patrol the wet lands to guard against poaching of the birds, which were a symbol of Lobito city.

Zhang said his company entered Angola in the year 2006 and constructed or rebuilt 16 harbors for the African country, and the protection of flamingos and conservation of the wet lands in Lobito is part of his company's efforts to shoulder its social responsibilities and pay back to local societies.

China Harbor is not only actively involved in the post-war reconstruction process but also becomes a part of the local society, and his company is willing to share the dividends of economic development with the local population, Zhang said.

China Harbor is now building a new oil tanker terminal at Lobito with an investment of 120 million U.S. dollars from the Angolan government after reconstructing the container terminal and the terminal for bulk minerals at Lobito, 550 kilometers south of the capital city of Luanda. Endi