This winter, Dashanbao National Nature Reserve has recorded a historic number of migrating black-necked cranes since its establishment.
(Video: Xinhua)
A total of 1,873 black-necked cranes, a first-class protected bird species in China, were spotted at the Dashanbao National Nature Reserve in Yunnan Province on December 22nd. According to Wu Taiping, a guard at the reserve, the flock began arriving in Dashanbao on October 31st.
On November 27th, the number of black-necked cranes at the reserve even reached 2,260, the highest since its establishment in 1990. Many of these cranes have since migrated to other areas for the winter.
Located in the Zhaoyang District of Zhaotong City, Yunnan Province, the Dashanbao reserve is one of the most important wetlands in the world. It serves both as a wintering habitat and a “transit point” for black-necked cranes migrating across the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.
Over the past three years, authorities have recorded an average of over 1,500 black-necked cranes wintering in the reserve. Additionally, the number and variety of other bird species have increased due to local conservation efforts, which include enhanced monitoring, disease prevention, and emergency rescue operations to protect the winter habitat for migratory animals.
Black-necked cranes flocking to the Dashanbao reserve for wintering.
Black-necked cranes are medium-sized birds, measuring 139 cm in length and weighing 5.5 kg. They primarily inhabit plateaus, grasslands, and wetlands in river valleys at altitudes ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 meters above sea level. This species is unique in that it breeds and thrives at such high altitudes.
