STORY: Explore Altun Mountains-- "Secret Land of Kunlun"
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Dec. 14, 2023
LENGTH: 00:03:19
LOCATION: Urumqi, China
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT
Urumchi
SHOTLIST:
1. various of scene of the nature reserve
2. STANDUP 1 (English): GU YU, Xinhua correspondent
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SHANG PENG, Ranger, Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve Administration
4. STANDUP 2 (English): GU YU, Xinhua correspondent
5. STANDUP 3 (English): GU YU, Xinhua correspondent
6. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SHANG PENG, Ranger, Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve Administration

STORYLINE:

STANDUP 1 (English): GU YU, Xinhua correspondent
"I am now in Xinjiang's Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve, which is located in the Kumukuri Basin, between the east of Kunlun Mountains and the Altun Mountains. And it retains a plateau desert ecosystem close to the original state, known as the "Secret Land of Kunlun."

Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve is located in Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bayingolin, Xinjiang. It covers an area of about 45,000 square kilometers and borders the Sanjiangyuan National Park and Chang Tang Nature Reserve. It is a typical representative of plateau desert ecosystem in China, with mountains, glaciers, deserts, springs and lakes.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): SHANG PENG, Ranger, Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve Administration
"The average altitude of the plateau is more than 4,600 meters, and the ecosystem types diversify, include alpine deserts, alpine grasslands, and alpine meadows."

STANDUP 2 (English): GU YU, Xinhua correspondent
"This is the largest lake in the Altun Mountains, named Ayakumu Lake. Its water area has increased by more than 60% in the last 30 years."

According to a survey, from 1990 to 2020, the number of lakes with water area of more than 1 square kilometer on the north slope of Kunlun Mountains increased from 34 to 113. The total water area of these lakes increased from 1,600 square kilometers to about 3,200 square kilometers.

STANDUP 3 (English): GU YU, Xinhua correspondent
"The desert around me is the highest shifting sand desert in the world, named Kumukuri Desert, which is more than 4,000 meters above sea level."

Relying on melt water from snow mountain, the bottom of the sand dunes gathers rich water resources. Spring water can often be seen here.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): SHANG PENG, Ranger, Altun Mountain National Nature Reserve Administration
"The altitude here is relatively high, and the annual precipitation is relatively low with an average of less than 300 mm. The average annual temperature is basically around minus 4 degrees Celsius at the lowest. The vegetation type here is mainly grassland plants dominated by low shrubs."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Urumqi, China.
(XHTV)