The number of the black-necked cranes wintering in northeast Yunnan’s Dashanbao nature reserve amounted to 1,717 on Nov. 27, creating a record high since the reserve was incepted in 1990, the latest statistics say.

Starting on November 20, the black cranes’ number has been on the rise, with a daily increase of over 300 cranes seen on Nov. 25-27,” said Wu Taiping, a staff mumber with the Dashanbao reserve. 

Located in the Zhaoyang district of Zhaotong city, Yunnan province, the Dashanbao reserve is the top wintering habitat for black-necked cranes, a bird species under first-class state protection in China.

The recent years have witnessed steady local efforts to create a favorable living environment for cranes in the Dashanbao area, including eco-compensation, wetland restoration, folk resettlement and bird-food storage.