Herders in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have started their annual winter migration, driving thousands of camels from desert grazing ground to warmer pastures.

The winter camel roundup is underway in Inner Mongolia's Alxa League. Herders are venturing deep into the Badain Jaran and Ulan Buh deserts by driving pickup trucks and motorcycles, traveling hundreds of kilometers to locate and retrieve their camels.

Over 2,000 camels were released into the desert for free-range grazing during the summer. As winter approaches, the animals will be moved to sheltered enclosures for supplementary feeding, protecting them from harsh weather while giving desert pastures time to recover.

Rounding up camels is no easy feat. Veteran herders follow camel tracks and droppings across sparse desert vegetation. They often made about four round trips from base camps to the deep desert -- distances that can stretch 200 kilometers one way -- to bring the scattered animals home. The entire operation typically takes about a month.

This traditional free-range breeding model keeps Alxa League's camel population healthy and robust, while supplying premium raw materials for the region's camel milk and wool industries.

Alxa League, home to China's largest camel population, has a total of 169,000 Bactrian camels, accounting for approximately one-third of the national total.