Located at the lower reaches of Wuyuhe River, a tributary of the Nenjiang River and to the southeast of the Qiqihaer City in the west of Heilongjiang Province, the Zhalong Nature Reserve was created in 1979 with an area of 210,000 hectares. The Reserve houses 248 species of birds, over 20 species of them are under state key protection.

9 of the world's 15 species of cranes are found now in China, 6 of them are in the Zhalong Reserve, i. e. red —crowned crane, white — naped crane, white crane, white-headed crane, demoiselle crane and grey crane.

To strengthen the protection of cranes and increase the number of cranes, scientists in Zhalong have reared a flock of red—crowned cranes by means of artificial incubation and have conducted experiments in training crane to live through the winter and go out into the wilds. The Zhalong experiments have important scientific value in research. into the factors that control bird migration.