Located in the south-west of the Chang Tang Plateau, on the northern hinterland of the larger Tibetan Plateau, this high-altitude wetland at 4,600 metres above sea level includes permanent saline and freshwater lakes, and permanent and seasonal rivers. The main lake itself, Trari Nam Co (Lake Zharinanmu), is, at more than 100,000 hectares, the third largest in Tibet. The wetland provides habitat to numerous threatened species including the vulnerable snow leopard (Uncia uncia) and the endangered steppe eagle (Aquila nipalensis). Annually, the site also regularly holds more than 20,000 waterbirds, among which are seven species of waterbird with more than 1% of their biogeographical populations. Long-term scientific monitoring is undertaken of this unique alpine lake ecosystem’s geology and biodiversity.