Speaking of Asia

Why China peacocks, Indian bustards and Singapore pangolins matter

Creatures big and small balance the natural world and enrich our lives. They are also under tremendous stress.

The number of China's peacocks, regarded as "king of birds", is said to have dwindled to below 300. PHOTO: AFP
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With so much attention focused on the safety worries over Taishan Nuclear Power Plant in energy-short Guangdong province, too many have missed the piquant situation in Yunnan, where a court has ordered a halt to the construction of a 3.7 billion yuan (S$768 million) hydro electric project so as to protect the habitat of China's remaining green peafowl.

The number of China's peacocks, regarded as "king of birds", is said to have dwindled to below 300, which makes them rarer than the iconic giant panda. Most of what's left on the mainland are in Yunnan, currently enduring power cuts.

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