Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Wildlife
China's vast size, diverse topography and climatic disparities support an as-
tonishing range of habitats for a wide-ranging diversity of animal life. Scattered
from steamy tropical rainforests in the deep southwest to subarctic wilderness
in the far north, from the precipitous mountains of Tibet to the low-lying deserts
of the northwest and the huge Yangzi River, China's wild animals comprise
nearly 400 species of mammal (including some of the world's rarest and most
charismatic species), more than 1300 bird species, 424 reptile species and
over 300 species of amphibian. The Tibetan plateau alone is the habitat of
more than 500 species of birds, while half of the animal species in the northern
hemisphere can be found in China.
Almost every large mammal you can think of in China has crept onto the en-
dangered species list, as well as many of the so-called 'lower' animals and
plants. Deforestation, pollution, hunting and trapping for fur, body parts and
sport are all culprits. The snow leopard, Indochinese tiger, chiru antelope,
crested ibis, Asiatic elephant, red-crowned crane and black-crowned crane are
all endangered.
Despite the threats, a number of rare animal species cling to survival in the
wild. Notable among them are the Chinese alligator in Anhui, the giant sala-
mander in the fast-running waters of the Yangzi and Yellow Rivers, the Yangzi
River dolphin in the lower and middle reaches of the river (although there have
been no sightings since 2002), and the pink dolphin of the Hong Kong islands
of Sha Chau and Lung Kwu Chau. The giant panda is confined to the fauna-
rich valleys and ranges of Sichuan, but your best chances for sighting one is in
Chengdu's Giant Panda Breeding Research Base.
Plants
China is home to more than 32,000 species of seed plant and 2500 species of
forest tree, plus an extraordinary plant diversity that includes some famous 'liv-
ing fossils' - a diversity so great that Jilin province in the semifrigid north and
Hainan province in the tropical south share few plant species. Many reserves
still remain where intact vegetation ecosystems can be seen firsthand, but few
parts of the country have escaped human impact. Deforestation continues
