"Chongming is an ideal place for my business," he says, explaining that the island has a national-level nature reserve for birds and is aiming to become a world-class ecological island by 2035.

In 2014, Yang received his license to breed first-tier protected animals from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the government agency that oversees the breeding and trading of wild animals in China. He has since introduced several endangered pheasants to his center, including the golden pheasant, Elliot's pheasant and the Taiwan blue pheasant.

"These are all native species in China and I've succeeded in breeding and raising their babies," he says.

"There are slight habitat differences between each species. They require a great deal of attention, and pheasants are very timid. So, breeders need to establish trust with them slowly."

Yang also needs to ensure the safety of his birds by checking their health monthly and injecting them with vaccines annually.

His breeding center, which supplies birds to zoos around China, isn't all about profit. Yang says that he is planning to release some endangered birds to help grow the population in the wild.

Yang, who has a home in downtown Shanghai, has no qualms living in his center on weekdays－and it is not because he's too lazy to make the long commute home.

"I am passionate with my work and never feel exhausted," he says.

"Living with the birds and seeing them every day makes me a happy man."

Contact the writer at xingyi@chinadaily.com.cn