Snow strands over 1,000 endangered cranes in China

It was estimated that 1,200 black-necked cranes, an endangered species, were stranded in a national reserve in China's southwestern Yunnan province due to heavy snow recently, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The extreme weather caused ice to form on their feet and wings, preventing them to fly, said CCTV.

Villagers living nearby fed them grain to help the cranes survive. Black-necked cranes are listed as top-level protected animal in China. A large number of the species gathers at national reserves in Yunnan province and spend winter there each year.