Spring arrives late to Damxung County, Lhasa, but when it arrives, it is utterly enchanting. As the first rays of morning sunlight touch the shallow waters of the A’re Wetland, a flock of black-necked cranes stirs awake in the glow. These “fairies of the plateau” either lower their heads to forage or stretch their necks in elegant dances. Now and then, a clear, melodious call cuts through the quiet, lingering long and far across the vast grasslands.

To the black-necked cranes, the A’re Wetland is far more than just scenery. Every spring and autumn, these highland fairies follow fixed migration routes, and A’re Wetland stands as their most vital stopover site on the northward journey to breed.