Every autumn, the remote village of Iianda in Shigatse (southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region) transforms into a snowy paradise for over 1,000 black-necked cranes. These striking birds, donning sleek black-and-white ‘tuxedos,’ migrate here exclusively for winter – a spectacle of nature that’s lasted generations. 🏔️
At the heart of this harmony is 75-year-old Tenzin, the cranes’ guardian angel. Villagers farm their fields under the watchful eyes of their feathery neighbors, while the cranes ‘dance’ alongside grazing livestock like characters in a real-life Studio Ghibli film. 🌾🐑
As sunset paints the plateau gold, chimney smoke spirals upward to a soundtrack of crane calls – a daily celebration of one of Earth’s most unique human-wildlife bonds. Scientists call it cohabitation; locals call it family.
