The black-necked crane, a national first-class protected species, is widely regarded as a key indicator of the ecological health of high-altitude wetlands on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, reflecting broader conservation outcomes in fragile plateau ecosystems.
Listed as Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, black-necked cranes mainly inhabit plateaus, meadows and marshlands at elevations ranging from 2,500 to 5,000 meters.
The species migrates seasonally between breeding grounds in the north and wintering sites in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region.
The crane is the only large wading bird in the world that completes its entire life cycle on the plateau. As a flagship species of plateau wetlands, its survival and migration routes are seen as a "barometer" of changes in environment, offering important insights into the condition of high-altitude wetland ecosystems.
Black-necked cranes highlight plateau wetland conservation efforts
