At 29, Choegyab isn't your average herder. On the sweeping grasslands of Nyanpo Yuzee, perched 4,000 meters above sea level on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, he's become an unlikely hero for one of Asia's most vulnerable bird species: the black-necked crane.
As one of 17 volunteer wardens in the region, Choegyab combines traditional Tibetan herding practices with cutting-edge wildlife monitoring. Since 2011, he's documented the cranes' migration patterns through self-taught photography, capturing intimate moments of their breeding rituals and daily behaviors.
Guardians of the Sky
'These cranes arrive like clockwork every May,' Choegyab explains. 'Their calls echo across the wetlands as they rebuild nests from last season.' His family's summer pasture now doubles as a protected breeding ground, balancing livestock grazing with habitat preservation in this UNESCO-recognized biodiversity hotspot.
Tech Meets Tradition
Armed with a DSLR camera and solar-powered GPS trackers, Choegyab uploads his findings to conservation databases used by researchers from Beijing to Nairobi. Recent data shows a 12% increase in crane pairs nesting in monitored areas since 2018—a testament to community-led conservation efforts.
Coexistence in Action
The project highlights how indigenous knowledge and modern science can merge to protect delicate ecosystems. As climate change threatens plateau habitats, stories like Choegyab's offer hope for sustainable human-wildlife relationships in vulnerable environments worldwide.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
