Rare black-necked cranes wintering in Yunnan

World
Europe

The number of black-necked cranes that are wintering at Dashanbao National Nature Reserve for Black-necked Cranes in Southwest China's Yunnan Province has climbed to an estimated 1,600, a record high since the reserve was established in 1990.

Every winter, lake water at the plateau recedes into vast wetlands, turning the Dashanbao reserve, which is at an altitude of 3,110 meters, into an ideal habitat for black-necked cranes.

Rare black-necked cranes wintering in Yunnan. /VCG Photo

Rare black-necked cranes /VCG Photo

Rare black-necked cranes wintering in Yunnan. /VCG Photo

Rare black-necked cranes /VCG Photo

With an average temperature below minus 10 degrees Celsius in the early morning, Dashanbao is carpeted under a 10-centimeter-thick snow cover. The birds dotted the white scene with their black feathers, putting on a unique show akin to an animated Chinese ink wash painting.

Source(s): China Daily