Bayanbulak Grassland National Nature Reserve
Bayanbulak Grassland National Nature Reserve, also known as Bayinbuluke, is in northwest China. It lies in Hejing County, Xinjiang, within the Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, in the Bayanbulak Basin of the Tian Shan mountains. The reserve covers about 1,486 square kilometers (574 square miles), and the surrounding grassland area is much larger, about 23,835 square kilometers.
The landscape is a high-altitude marshland at 2,000 to 2,500 meters. The Kaidu River runs through the area, creating a network of wetlands centered on Swan Lake. This makes Bayanbulak an important breeding and stopover site for birds, and it is the highest-altitude swan breeding ground in the world. More than 120 bird species have been observed here.
The area has a subarctic climate with cold winters and cool summers. It gets about 270 mm of rain each year, and the average annual temperature is around -4.8°C. The vegetation is mainly subalpine meadow and steppe, with swampy low areas.
Grazing has been heavy, with about 1.5 million sheep affecting the land. An invasive plant, Pedicularis kansuensis, has spread and damaged native flora. Swan numbers and other wildlife have declined, from about 20,000 swans in the 1980s to around 2,000 in 2001.
Swamp vegetation includes Carex sedges, marsh arrowgrass, Batrachium, and bladderwort. The reserve welcomes visitors who pay an admission fee. There are hotels and guest houses nearby, and camping is possible on the grassland. Each year the Nadam Fair brings horse racing, wrestling and other local traditions to the area.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 00:02 (CET).