The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced recently that it has added a group of protected areas to its Green List. The Zhangjiajie Giant Salamander National Nature Reserve in Hunan Province made the list. 

The Zhangjiajie Giant Salamander National Nature Reserve is China's first and the largest national nature reserve dedicated to protecting giant salamanders. Located in the Wuling Mountains Biodiversity Protection Priority Area, it covers 745 streams across the Lishui and Yuanshui river basins and 76.5% of the waters within Zhangjiajie City. It serves as a vital water source and ecological security barrier in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, playing a critical role in sustaining regional biodiversity and safeguarding the ecological environment. 

In recent years, the population of wild giant salamanders of the main protected species has reached 13,800, and the number of giant salamander breeding sites increased to ten in the reserve. Its breakthrough bionic propagation techniques haven secured three national patents. Five giant salamander species of genetically pure lines have been conserved, including the Chinese Giant Salamander and South China Giant Salamander. 

In the reserve, biodiversity has been continuously enhanced, leading to a significant increase in its fish, bird, and amphibian species. New species have been recorded, such as the Zhangjiajie light-lip fish (acrossocheilus fasciatus), Hunan pterocryptis anomala, golden bush robin, and Sichuan bamboo pit viper.

This article is from the Hunan Provincial Government www.enghunan.gov.cn.

Translator: Pang Yuehui

Chinese source: hunantoday