Established in 1979 and located in Qiqihar city of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, the 2100 square kilometer marshland is a major migratory route for birds from the Arctic migration to South East Asia. It is protected by the Chinese government. Within the park, a large flock of red-crowned cranes is held in captivity for conservation purposes.

The reserve is rich in bird resources and is home to 296 types of birds. Most of them are waterfowls. With more than 400 wild red-crowned cranes among the 2,000 ones in the world, Zhalong Wetland is the largest habitat for this creature.