The world's largest stopover site for the critically endangered Siberian white cranes in northeast China saw the arrivals of around 1,500 such birds as of Sunday. 

Also known as the Siberian crane or the snow crane, this species is rated as "critically endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. 

The cranes spend over 100 days at the Momoge National Nature Reserve in Zhenlai County of northeast China's Jilin Province during their winter migrations in spring and autumn annually, with the largest number reaching around 4,000, or about 90 percent of the world population, of the species. 

"Around 1,500 Siberian white cranes have arrived here so far. The nature reserve administration attaches more importance to protection of the stopover site for the white cranes this year. We have added more than 10 personnel to manage and protect the white cranes' habitat. In the meantime, our personnel have been carrying out around-the-clock monitoring of the Siberian white cranes and will carry out timely rescue and offer assistance for the birds in need," said Lin Feng, a nature reserve official.

 (All images via VCG)

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