The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries () located in southwest

Sichuan Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of t ...

province of

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

, is the home to more than 30% of the world's

giant panda The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear (or simply the panda), is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes u ...

s and is among the most important sites for the captive breeding of these pandas. It covers 9245 km² with seven nature reserves and nine scenic parks in the Qionglai and Jiajin Mountains. Along with the giant panda, the sanctuary is a refuge to other endangered species such as the

red panda The red panda (''Ailurus fulgens''), also known as the lesser panda, is a small mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It has dense reddish-brown fur with a black belly and legs, white-lined ears, a mostly white muzzle ...

, the

snow leopard The snow leopard (''Panthera uncia''), also known as the ounce, is a felid in the genus '' Panthera'' native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List because the global population is es ...

, and the

clouded leopard The clouded leopard (''Neofelis nebulosa''), also called the mainland clouded leopard, is a wild cat inhabiting dense forests from the foothills of the Himalayas through mainland Southeast Asia into South China. In the early 19th century, a ...

. Outside of the tropical

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

s, it is among the botanically richest sites of the world, and is home to between 5,000 and 6,000 species of flora. It has been noted that the region is similar to the paleo-tropic forests of the

Paleogene The Paleogene ( ; also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene; informally Lower Tertiary or Early Tertiary) is a geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning o ...

and

Neogene The Neogene ( ), informally Upper Tertiary or Late Tertiary, is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Mya. ...

Periods. Because of its biodiversity and conservation of giant pandas, these sanctuaries were listed as

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

World Heritage Sites A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

in 2006. The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries consist of seven nature reserves and nine scenic parks. * Seven Nature Reserves ** Wolong Nature Reserve () ** Fengtongzhai Nature Reserve () ** Mount Siguniang Nature Reserve () ** Laba River Nature Reserve () ** Anzihe Nature Reserve () ** Heishui River Nature Reserve () ** Jintang-Kongyu Nature Reserve () ** Caopo Nature Reserve () * Nine Scenic Parks ** Mt. Qingcheng- Dujiangyan Scenic Park () ** Mt. Tiantai Scenic Park () ** Mt. Siguniang Scenic Park () ** Xiling Snow Mountain Scenic Park () ** Mt. Jiguan-Jiulonggou Scenic Park () ** Mt. Jiajin Scenic Park () ** Miyaluo Scenic Park () ** Mt. Lingzhen-Mt. Daxue Scenic Park () ** Mt. Erlang Scenic Park ()

Gallery

File:Mount Siguniang 2.jpg, Mt. Siguniang File:Shuangqiaogou_overlook.jpg, Mt. Siguniang (Shuangqiao Valley) File:China's mist mountain (Unsplash).jpg, Miyaluo (Bipeng Valley) File:夹金山秋色_-_panoramio.jpg, Mt. Jiajin File:Panda_Cub_from_Wolong,_Sichuan,_China.JPG, Panda Cub in Wolong File:QinChengHouShan_LongYinXiaZhanDao.jpg, Mt. Qingcheng

References

External links

UNESCO description of the site

Wolong Panda Club

Pandas !
{{World Heritage Sites in China Protected areas of China World Heritage Sites in China Wildlife sanctuaries of Asia Nature reserves of Sichuan Tourist attractions in Sichuan