Tens of thousands of waterbirds gather at the Tarim River in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, as the waterway enters its annual ice-thaw season.
In a section of the river running through Shaya County in Aksu Prefecture, the once-frozen surface has gradually begun to melt, drawing waterbirds to swim and play across open waters and shallow shoals.
In recent years, strengthened ecological protection and restoration efforts in the Tarim River basin have steadily improved the river's environment, providing increasingly suitable habitats for migratory birds.
Waterbirds gather along Xinjiang's Tarim River as ice melts
Waterbirds gather along Xinjiang's Tarim River as ice melts
