Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, April 11, 2002
More Black-Necked Cranes Found in Tibet
Tibet has been home to 4,200 black- necked cranes, a rare species under top government protection, this winter -- 290 more than the 1992 figure, a new survey has shown.
Tibet has been home to 4,200 black- necked cranes, a rare species under top government protection, this winter -- 290 more than the 1992 figure, a new survey has shown.
The black-necked cranes in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region make up 75 percent of the world's total, said an official with the Tibet Plateau Biological Research Institute.
The black-necked crane is a rare bird that inhabits tablelands. Its tall and beautiful figure makes it special for bird-watchers.
The number of black-necked cranes in the world is around 6,000. It can be seen in remote areas of Qinghai, Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces and Tibet.
Chinese scientists have discovered, after years of investigation, two migration routes of the black-necked cranes. The heart of the two routes is located at the wetland in Tibet. They survive on highland barley, wheat and some wild plants in winter.
Two black-necked crane reserves have been set up in Tibet. Scientists have successfully bred the rare species in captivity to learn the best climate and living environment for them.