You
can find the Qinling Mountains in one of the most
biologically rich temperate forest in the world.
Running east to west, Qinling Mountains lie in the
eastern province of Shaanxi and form a natural division
between northern and southern China in terms of geography
and climate.
The
Cradle of Chinese Civilization
As well as being fantastically rich in natural resources, Qinling Mountains
have a long human history. A short distance to the north-east of
Qinling Mountains lies Xi`an, the capital city of the province
of Shaanxi. Xi`an is one of the six ancient Chinese capitals and
was the starting point of the world-famous "Silk Road".
The
Firn on the Qinling Mountaintops
Outstanding
Biodiversity
Some
of the peaks of Qinling Mountains reach are higher
than 3000 metres so they act as a barrier to cold,
dry air coming in from the north. On the broad southern
slopes, on the other hand, warm rains encourage luxuriant
growth and therefore an amazing variety of plants
and animals, which are found only in China and nowhere
else in the world. The Chinese Yew and Qinling Fir
trees tower above a fantastic array of rhododendrons
and between the Ginkgos and the various different
types of bamboo live the Giant Pandas.
the Cloud-kissing
Trees
The Continuous
Mountains
The
Wildlife of the Qinling Mountains
The
wildlife, as an important
component of the ecological system,
is the precious natural assets which provide the basic condition for
the life of human beings and the social development. It is of great importance
to protect and use rationally this resource in keeping ecological balance,
improving natural environment, conserving biodiversity and developing
national economy. Encompassing a total area of 55,000 km2, the Qinling
Mountains are extremely biologically diverse. The area is home to a number
of endangered species.
Clouds over
the Qinling Mountains The
Crested Ibis
A plant
view¡ª¡ªOneflower Kingdonia
Crested Ibis
eating a small fish
Because the climate varies so much between the different altitudes of
the forests of Qinling Mountains, there are a huge variety of plants
and animals. Many Qinling plants are rare and endangered, including
the Ginkgo, one of the oldest tree species in the world. The Chinese
Mountain Larch, the Miaotai Maple and the Chinese Fir are also
highly endangered and therefore listed by the Chinese Government
as protected species. And there are the animals which include the
Golden Monkey, Golden Takin, Crested Ibis, Golden Eagle, and Clouded
Leopard. It is one of the few remaining natural habitats where
China's national symbol, the giant panda, lives.
The beginning
to enter the forest
A watercourse
in Qinling Mountains
The
Qinling Panda
Based
on a national survey approximately 1000 wild pandas
were found in the wild, The Qinling Mountains in
Shaanxi Province is the northernmost distribution
area for the giant panda and is also one of the areas
with the densest panda population. The Qinling panda
population is an independent panda population with
about 200-300 pandas. It has been found mainly in
the Foping, Yang County, Ningshan, Taibai and Chenggu
areas of Qinling.
To
save Giant Panda, "China Giant Panda and its
Habitats Protection Project"
was launched in 1992 for establishment of nature reserves,
recovery of its habitats and propagation in captivity.
The
Shaanxi provincial government has officially sanctioned
five new panda reserves and five panda 'corridors'
- zones that link protected areas and allow fragmented
populations of pandas to cross from one protected
area to another. Because human land use has restricted
many populations of pandas to less than 50 individuals,
this is crucially important if the threat of inbreeding
is to be reduced. The five new giant panda reserves
are Motian Qinling Reserve (8,520 h), Ningqiang Qingmu
Chuan Reserve (10,200 h), Guanyinshan Reserve (13,534
h), Sangyuan Reserve (13,805.7 h) and Ningshan Reserve
(26,732 h).
The Wild Giant
Panda
The
Giant Panda Favourate Color£º Imperial
Green like dripping mountains Favourate
Song: ¡¶panda mimi¡· Fancy£º Walking
slowly in the forest, wallowing in the bamboo circles,
play with brothers and sisters£¬lieing on the hillside in
sunshine daytime, lieing in litter and counting stars¡¡ Hating Best: Human
fell the woods around my home, also put some traps. Several
brothers and sisters were harmed due to this¡¡ Delighting
Best: It
is said the nation has built five nature reserves¡¡
Facts about the Giant
Panda Only found in china,
the giant panda is a solitary animal that
feeds primarily
on bamboo and, occasionally, the carcasses of small mammals.
Where
do they live?
Giant pandas live in temperate-zone, broadleaf and coniferous forests
in
the mountain ranges. Today, giant panda are only found in six separate
mountain ranges: Qinling in shaanxi province; Minshan stretching between
Gansu and Sichuan provinces; and Qionglai,
Da xiangling, Xiao xiangling and Liangshan in Sichuan province. Based
on a national survey in the mid-1980s, approximately 1000 wild pandas
were found in an estimated distribution area of around 13,000 km2 and
approximately 140
pandas live in zoos or breeding centers around the world, but mainly
in China.
Bamboo
Forest Giant Panda inhabiting place
Wild Giant
Panda going through the river
What
do they eat?
Pandas consume 20 to 40 pounds of bamboo each day and, in zoos, also
eat sugar cane, rice gruel, carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, and special
high-fiber biscuits. Even though bamboo is about half water, pandas also
need to drink fresh water from rivers and
streams every day.
How
big are they?
These black-and-white bears
stand between 27 and 31 inches tall at
the shoulder and reach five feet tall when standing. Males are larger
than females.
.An adult's body length usually measures between 120 and 190cm and
its tail length is between 10 and 20cm. An adult panda weights between
85 and 125kg. The habitat of giant panda is characterized by bamboo
stands under coniferous, broad-leafed,
and mixed forest at altitudes
between 1200 and 3400 m.
Wild
Giant Panda eating bamboo
Wild
Giant Panda climbing the tree
When
do they reproduce?
Giant pandas reach breeding maturity between the ages of four and five.
Mating season is from mid-March to early May, but the female is only
in heat for three to four days. The gestation period for giant pandas
ranges from 97 to 163 days, and females may give birth to two cubs with
usually only one surviving.
What
is their expected lifespan?
The exact lifespan of giant pandas in the wild is unknown, but scientists
believe that they live longer in zoos than on their own. The National
Zoo's Hsing-Hsing lived to be 28 years old, and Chinese scientists have
reported zoo pandas as old as 35.
What
is their lifestyle?
Giant pandas generally live a solitary lifestyle. However, recent studies
have shown that small groups of pandas share a large territory and sometimes
meet outside of the breeding season. Giant pandas do not hibernate like
other bears from temperate climates. In a typical day for a panda, 14
hours are spent eating, while the other 10 are spent sleeping. Giant
pandas usually sleep in two-to four-hour increments.
Wild
Giant Panda going through the river
The
giant panda is listed as endangered on the World
Conservation Union's Red List of Threatened Animals.
The panda is endangered for the same fundamental
reason that nature is imperiled throughout China,
and indeed throughout the world: Explosive population
growth and unsustainable use of natural resources
are causing habitat for wildlife to vanish. Compounding
these pressures are habitat degeneration and fragmentation
due to human activities, poaching, poor local communities
who rely on natural resources for their livelihood,
and a lack of equipment and facilities for patrolling.
There are now over 30 giant panda reserves in China,
protecting about 50% of the panda habitat.
Clouds over the Qinling
Mountains
A bourn in the Qinling Mountains
The Golden
Takin
Much
less well-known but certainly very impressive looking
is the Takin which is a beautiful golden-haired ox
with a big, broad nose. Takins can weigh several
hundred kilograms, and they are very big and strong
and very beautiful. When you see one with the sun
shining on its golden hair and it is standing there
like a General, you cannot describe how powerful
it looks!?
Takins usually live in groups and feed on the woody plants and bamboos
of Qinling Mountain Forests.
A Golden Takin Head
A group of Golden Takins
The Golden
Snub-nosed Monkey
The
takins are not the only golden-haired creatures of
the Qinling Mountains. There is also a monkey with
a tiny nose and many different names, including two
Latin ones! The Chinese Golden Monkey is variously
called the Golden Snub-nosed Monkey or Sichuan Snub-nosed
Monkey but whatever its name, these monkeys are famed
for their fur and therefore highly prized.
A Golden
Monkey
They
are about 60-70 cms tall.
Their hair is so long. It really hangs over their shoulder so when they
jump from
tree to tree, it looks like they have wings! The Golden Monkeys live
in large
groups, sometimes 600 strong. Nevertheless, their numbers
are seriously end angered by hunting
and clearing of forests.
