6,000 common cranes spotted in China's Qiemo County for wintering

STORY: 6,000 common cranes spotted in China's Qiemo County for wintering DATELINE: Dec. 25, 2022 LENGTH: 00:00:42 LOCATION: URUMQI, China CATEGORY: SOCIETY SHOTLIST: 1. various of common cranes on Qarqan River STORYLINE: More than 6,000 common cranes have been spotted in Qiemo County in China's Xinjiang for wintering. Large flocks of the birds were first spotted in the region in early 2021. This winter, the number of common cranes in the county is three times that of last winter. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): CAI CIKE, Bureau of Natural Resources in Qiemo County in Xinjiang, China "Qiemo County has been pressing ahead with environmental protection, and water has been supplied to the downstream via the Dashimen water conservancy project. These have led to a notable improvement in the ecology in Qiemo, which provides a safe habitat for wild birds." The common crane is a second class nationally protected wildlife in China. Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Urumqi, China. (XHTV)