Pictured here is the duo of two-month-old red-crowned cranes naturally incubated in the Shenzhen Wildlife Park of Guangdong Province. They're the first naturally incubated red-crowned cranes to be bred since the bird was introduced to the park in 1993.

Red-crowned cranes natural habitat is northeast China and there's little probability of them breeding naturally in the south. The park's success provides a template for scientists working in these areas.

An adult red-crowned crane is about 1.4 meters in height and a supple and elegant look. It inhabits swamps and its diet is insects, fish and seeds. It breeds in April and lays two eggs each year.

(China.org.cn August 1, 2006)