A view of the Lhalu Wetland National Nature Reserve in Lhasa, Xizang autonomous region. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Lhalu Wetland, known as the "lungs of Lhasa" and the largest urban natural wetland on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has achieved significant ecological recovery over the past 20 years, according to the latest monitoring data.

Since 2005, the wetland's water coverage has increased by 232 percent, while sandy and bare land areas have shrunk by 70 percent. Vegetation coverage rose by 44 percent. The number of nationally protected wild species recorded in the wetland has grown from nine to 25, with sightings of rare species such as black-necked cranes, white-lipped deer, and otters becoming more frequent, according to a report released by the Lhalu Wetland National Nature Reserve.