Lakes nurture ecological wetland in Gobi Desert, NW China's Gansu

An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows the frozen surface of the Dasugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 14, 2025 shows a view of the Xiaosugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows a view of the Dasugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows the waterway connecting the Dasugan Lake and the Xiaosugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows a forest ranger monitoring the ice conditions on the lake from a lookout tower in Dasugan Lake Provincial Migratory Bird Nature Reserve in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows the waterway connecting the Dasugan Lake and the Xiaosugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 14, 2025 shows a view of the Xiaosugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 14, 2025 shows whooper swans at the Xiaosugan Lake wetland in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows a view of the Dasugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows a view of the Dasugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

A drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows water birds foraging at the Dasugan Lake Provincial Migratory Bird Nature Reserve in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)

An aerial drone photo taken on Nov. 16, 2025 shows the frozen surface of the Dasugan Lake in Kazak Autonomous County of Aksay, Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province. Dasugan Lake and Xiaosugan Lake are connected and are both formed by the meltwater from the Qilian Mountains. A unique phenomenon is that the upstream Xiaosugan Lake is a freshwater lake, while the downstream Dasugan Lake is a saline lake.

Together, they nurture a vibrant ecological wetland in the vast Gobi Desert, serving as an important stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds along China's migration routes. (Xinhua/Lang Bingbing)