On October 18, the Gansu Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau announced that a significant number of migratory birds have begun to gather in the Gansu Yellow River Shouqu National Nature Reserve. The management center has initiated special monitoring of bird migration, observing that about 200 black-necked cranes are forming large flocks in the area. Among them is a crane identified by the ring number “BB0,” which bears both a ringing band and a satellite tracker on its legs.
According to confirmation from the Gansu Yellow River Shouqu National Nature Reserve management center and the research team led by Professor Guo Yumin from Beijing Forestry University, this particular black-necked crane was ringed and fitted with a satellite tracker on July 15, 2023, in the Huanan Prefecture of Qinghai Province, with support from the Qinghai Provincial Forestry and Grassland Bureau. The crane is a juvenile born in 2023 and is currently in a sub-adult stage.
As of October, the mass gathering of migratory birds in the reserve is noteworthy. The satellite tracker indicated that this crane made a brief stop in the reserve on November 5, 2023, before heading south on November 7 and arriving at the Yunnan Dazhuhai Black-necked Crane National Nature Reserve for winter on November 9. It will migrate back north from Yunnan on March 20 and ultimately decide to spend the summer in the Gansu Yellow River Shouqu National Nature Reserve, where it remains.
In recent years, the management center of the Gansu Yellow River Shouqu National Nature Reserve has actively implemented projects for wetland protection and restoration, wildlife conservation education, monitoring patrols, and collaborations with academic research teams. These efforts are yielding positive results, improving the ecological environment and creating suitable habitats for wildlife, thus contributing to the recovery and increase in wildlife populations.
The selection of the “BB0” crane to stop and spend the summer in the Gansu Yellow River Shouqu National Nature Reserve is a testament to the reserve’s successful conservation efforts. Recognized as the 62nd international important wetland in China, the Gansu Yellow River Shouqu National Nature Reserve serves as a crucial water source and ecological barrier in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. It is not only a key breeding and stopover area for black-necked cranes, but also hosts various other migratory birds such as geese and ducks.
There are 15 species of cranes globally, with the black-necked crane being the only one that breeds and winters in plateau regions. It is classified as a near-threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is designated as a nationally protected wildlife species in China.
