Conservation lifts delicate ecosystem

Vulnerable species receive expansive protection, Li Yingxue reports in Hainan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Qinghai.

Beginning in July, Qinghai Lake bursts to life with spectacular fashion — tens of thousands of scaleless carp (Gymnocypris przewalskii) known as luo li churn the river's surface as they muscle upstream, their sleek, silver bodies flashing like coins in the sun.

The air comes alive with splashes of water and the faint scent of lake water as these resilient fish leap against the current, transforming tranquil streams into glittering "silver rivers".

This species, classified as vulnerable on the China Species Red List, saw its population sharply decline in the 1960s and '70s due to overfishing and environmental degradation. But, thanks to years of relentless conservation efforts in Qinghai province, the population has rebounded to more than 120,000 tons.