Zhao Yingchong built a constant temperature and humidity tortoise breeding base.[Photo by Miao Xiaojian]

Hundreds of tortoises were eating fresh vegetables in the sun on the morning of May 14 at an inconspicuous zinc-iron shed located at Hengdang Village, Huangpu Town of Zhongshan City.

Zhao Yingchong, who was busy adding fodders and observing and recording the physical condition of every tortoise, found himself sweating all over in a moment.

Three years ago, the 27-year-old young man founded the Zhongshan Amazon Agricultural Breeding Co Ltd (hereinafter referred to as Amazon Breeding), finding an unusual venture path by initiating scale cultivation of tortoises in Zhongshan.

Born in Hengdang Village, Zhao Yingchong started his career in Shanghai engaging in 3D printing at his 22 in 2010. Later, he began to get to "exotic pets" via his friends. "Nowadays, many young people are not gratified about keeping cats and dogs, on the contrary they prefer unconventional and minority pets," said Zhao Yingchong.

In 2016, Zhao Yingchong was exposed to tortoises in the exotic pet circle and immediately found him obsessed with such docile "big guys" coming from Africa. After some thoughts, the young man headed to the African continent and introduced a batch of tortoises, for which he also received a domestication and breeding permit from the Department of Forestry of Guangdong Province.

In 2017, Zhao Yingchong invested more than 1 million yuan in building a constant temperature and humidity breeding base, aiming to offer the tortoises a better living environment.

On the other side of the breeding base, there is also a cricket farm. Zhao Yingchong once went to Thailand to study advanced breeding techniques. Presently, the cricket farm has been put into production and sales and it can generate up to 300,000 yuan revenue per year.

With the help of local agricultural department in Huangpu Town, Amazon Breading was granted with the "Zhongshan Model Family Farm"subsidy and the town-level agricultural supporting fund in 2018.