Endangered white cranes appear in lotus root field in Anhui

A white crane family (2 adult cranes and 1 young crane) foraging in a lotus root field in Huayang River farm in Anhui

With a population of only around 4,000 in the world, the white crane is categorized as "critically endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species. This "living fossil of birds" is also known for its strict requirements for overwintering sites.

In recent years, these beautiful birds as well as a variety of other rare migratory birds found their ideal overwintering habitat in Anhui's Huayang River farm. The improvements in natural environment here is making this place an ecological paradise for migratory birds including white cranes, swans, wild geese, and oriental storks.