The Most Famous Nature Reserves in China

Following are brief introductions of The Most Famous Nature Reserves in China. China is one of the countries with the richest natural resources and biodiversity in the world. Since 1956, China established the first nature reserve – Dinghu Mountain Nature Reserve in Guangdong Province, to early 2010, statistics shows that there are 2541 nature reserves at all levels established in China, covering a total area of 147.747 million hectares. 70% of the land ecosystem types, 80% of the wild animals, 60% of the higher plants and especially the rare and endangered plants and animals which under national key protection are getting better protection. Now, please come with TopChinaTravel to get more knowledge about Natural Reserves in China.

Mount Everest nature reserve was established in Shigatse prefecture in Tibet, 1988. Located at the frontier of Tingri County, Mount Everest nature reserve is the world’s most unique bio-geographical division. It is a comprehensive nature reserve composed of 3 areas: Core reserve, Scientific Experimental zone and Economic development zone. The most magnificent scenic here is the canyon and glacier capped peaks, and 5 of the 14 peaks in the world with altitude above 8000m are stand here.

Mount Everest , the highest peak of the most big and highest Himalaya mountain system with a altitude of 8,848.13m above sea level, is dominating the top of the world and known as the world’s peak. Mount Everest, which also can be called Qomolangma, means “the third goddess”. It is a pyramid shape mountain with a glacier area of 10,000 square kilometers, and the glacier extends 26 kilometers at the longest part. The upper part of the peak is covered with ice all year round.

It is an area with various mineral resources. What is more, many rare animals, such as peacock, the gibbon, Tibetan bear, snow leopard, chiru are living here.

The Hoh Xil Nature Reserve

The Hoh Xil nature reserve, located in the northwest of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and lying between Tanggula Mountains and Kunlun Mountains, is one of the main source areas of the Yangtze River.

Hoh Xil means “beautiful girl” in mongolian. The Hoh Xil Nature Reserve is one of the most primitive and well-preserved natural environment in the world with an average altitude above 5,000m. It is also one of the largest, highest reserves with abundant wildlife resources. Because of grim climate and bad natural condition, human can not inhabitant here, “The third pole of the world” is praised, and this is the very reason why Hoh Xil is the paradise of wild lives. There are wild yaks, the Tibetan antelope, wild, BaiChunLu; brown bear which are unique wild animals on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau living here. Data shows that the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve owns as many as 230 kinds of wild animals, and 20 kinds among them belong to the first and second class national-level protect animals.

Shennongjia National Nature Reserve

Shennongjia National Nature Reserve is located at the west frontier of HubeiProvince, lying between the DabaMountain and Wudang Mountain . It was established in 1983, covering an area of 70467 hectares. In 1986, it was approved by the State Council as a national forest and wildlife nature reserve, and joined in the reserve network “Man and the Biosphere” of UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) .

With dense virgin forest vegetation, complex and diverse climatic characteristics, coupled by the little effect of Quaternary glaciers, the reserve is flora and fauna and has become the refuge of many rare and endangered plants and animals. The height of peaks and canyon in the reserve are with great disparity. The main peak of large Shennongjia is 3052 meters above sea level, being praised as the first peak in the central China, while the elevation of the Pillars valley is just 398m.Shennongjia Nature Reserve is also a world famous mystery zone with countless unsolved mysteries of nature.

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Woling National Nature Reserve

Wolong National Nature reserve is located in the southwestern region of Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. It was established in 1963, covering an area of 200,000 hectares. It is the earliest, largest and best-known panda reserve in China. In 1982, it was admittedby the UNESCO to be part of “the International Reserve Net of Man and Biosphere.”

The reserve has more than 100 pandas, accounting 10% of the total number in the country. Besides, there are other rare animals and plants as well as rich water resources. The semi-nature enclosures of the Wolong Giant Panda Center are very large wild areas but protected by border fences. Those giant pandas that will soon be released back to the wild will be put in the semi-nature enclosures for a long enough period of time for them to adapt to the natural environment. Although food has to be provided, the giant pandas will sleep there, eat there and recover their natural survival skills there until they can be released back to the wild.

Mt. Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve is situated at the junction of Jangkou, Yinjiang and Songtao County, covering an area of 41,900 hectares. It was first established in 1978 as a provincial level reserve. In 1986, it was classified as a national reserve and in the same year, admitted by the UNESCO to be part of “the International Reserve Net of Man and Biosphere.”

Mt. Fanjingshan national Nature Reserve is famous for its best preserved virgin forest of any area in China. The verdant mountain, the clear water and the diversified wildlife constitutes a unique environment. Its biodiversity is incomparable at the same latitude on earth. With forest coverage up to 80%, the reserve owns a relatively balanced forest ecosystem. The most typical forest is subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forest with abundant rare plants resources. According to preliminary investigations, there are more than 40 rare plants, among them dove tree is the most concentrated, plentiful and typical.

Mt. Fanjingshan is not only abundant in rare bio-resources, but also is one of the most famous mountains for worshippers of Buddhism. As early as the 16th century, Mt. Fanjingshan became a famous buddhist holy.