Nearly 600 black-necked cranes recently arrived in the Lhasa River area in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region for the winter. /Xinhua Photo

Attracted by a warmer climate and abundant food, such as barley, wheat and grass, thousands of black-neck cranes migrate to Tibet's river valleys from mid-October, where they will remain for the next five months before flying back to northern nesting grounds. /Xinhua Photo

As the world’s only alpine crane species, the black-necked crane is a first-class, state-protected animal in China. It inhabits on the Tibetan Plateau and in the Himalayas, where for centuries it has been protected by locals. /Xinhua Photo

Tibet is currently home to over 8,000 black-necked cranes, thanks to enhanced conservation efforts and public awareness. Numbers of other rare and endangered species in this region, such as wild yaks and Tibetan wild donkeys, are also steadily growing. /Xinhua Photo