Paintings on habitat walls appeal to zoo visitors

Art students from Chengdu decorate den walls with forests, mountains and rivers

As two rare red-crowned cranes feed in their den, a knot of sparrows flies in to share the food. Visitors take photos or stand quietly, observing the birds.

It was just another day at Chengdu Zoo in Chengdu, Sichuan province, but the sight pleased Li Xiao, who was visiting with a friend from Austria.