Seniors find joy in birdwatching as ecosystems flourish across China

Birdwatching has become increasingly popular among elderly Chinese photography buffs, as ecosystems across the country continue to improve.

Mangba Village in Pu'er City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, is situated next to the Nuozhadu Provincial Nature Reserve. A number of vibrant parrots live in the ancient banyan trees by the village, which attracts many elderly photography enthusiasts.

"I came from Harbin to take pictures of parrots and other small birds following an online friend's recommendation," said Ye Jilin, a photography enthusiast from the capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

With the growing popularity of the recreational activity in recent years, the villagers of Mangba have started building guesthouses and agritourism facilities. They offer accommodation, catering, and transportation services for photography enthusiasts.

Lanshan County in Yongzhou City, central China's Hunan Province, lies along the central migratory route of birds. With the growing number of elderly visitors, convenient accommodations have been build in local hotels. The county also provides professional medical staff and portable first aid equipment, offering free health check-ups and chronic disease medications for senior tourists.

Located in the Dabie Mountains, Luoshan County in Xinyang, Henan, is known as the "second hometown" of the crested ibis. The peak season for the Dongzhai National Nature Reserve in Luoshan is from April to May each year.

"I come from Hong Kong, and I visit here almost every year to watch the birds. There are many birds, including some unique species," said Qiu Luming, a photography enthusiast.

Local authority has designated 69 spots for tourists to watch the birds. Sixty hotels and restaurants catering to birdwatchers have been built. The county receives around 30,000 visitor trips every year, 80 percent of whom are seniors.

"About half of the country's bird species can be found here, so we've always wanted to visit. The catering and accommodation services are good, which makes it a worthwhile trip," said Tang Suocheng, another tourist.

Seniors find joy in birdwatching as ecosystems flourish across China

Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.

In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the U.S. Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce U.S. actions.

"First of all, we oppose U.S. imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The U.S. is attacking a sovereign country, and as [U.S. President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.

Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against U.S. military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on on Jan 3.

Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the U.S. for violating international law.

"We are protesting the way the U.S. handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.

Organizers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.

Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to U.S. military actions.

"We oppose U.S. imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.

Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela