Wild Giant Panda


THE GIANT PANDA'S NATURAL REFUGE Shaanxi Changqing National Natural Reserve

Changqing Natural Reserve was established in 1995 as a national grade one with permission of the State Council. With the emphasis on the protection of Giant Panda, it is a natural reserve of forest and wild animals, being situated on the southern slope of the middle Qinling Mountains and in Yangxian County, With a total coverage of 29906 ha., it is at an elevation ranging from 800 to 3071 meters, 2271 meters from the lowest to the highest.
	The Xinlongling Ridge, in the reserve, is the highest among the Nine Ridges of the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains, Many rare wild animals of national level, represented by the so-called Four Treasures of Qinling Mountains: Giant Panda, Golden Takin, Golden Monkey, Crested ibis, are inhabiting there, which brings the reserve widespread fame, high scientific research value, and potentially plentiful ecological tour resources.

With a gradual rising from the south to the north, Changqing Natural Reserve has a terrain of mountainous slope. The weather and vegetation of this area divide it into different zones according to the height. Besides, it is situated on the dividing line between the north and south climatic as well as the biological areas. Its forest acreage reaches 96%. The characteristic location and forested ecological environment have nurtured this reserves of various and special creatures. In this area, there are 2039 species of seed plants, belonging to 762 genera, 145 families, among which 31 species have been listed into red book titled the protected plants on the verge of extinction in China, and 248 species of vertebrates, belonging to 92 genera, 32 orders, including 51 species of beasts, 154 of birds, 27 of amphibious reptiles, 16 of fishes.

At the same time, there are 30 species of animals under the state protection. Among them six species of the first rank are Giant Panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca), Golden Monkey(Rhinopithecus roxellanae), Golden Takin(Budorcas taxicolor), Clouded Leopard(Panthera pardus), Golden Eagle(Aquila chrysaetos dophanea ) , Crested Ibis, and 24 species of the second rank include Musk Deer (Moschus berezovskii ), Black Bear (Selenarctos thibetanus), Giant Salamander (Andrias Davidianus), Blood Pheasant (Ithaginis cruentus sinensis) , and so on.
	Giant Panda, being praised as "living fossil", is widely distributed in this area; more than 80 have been found there, which accounts for one third of the total number in the Qinling Mountains. Apart from the white and black giant pandas, both the white and brown and the pure white giant pandas have been repeatedly found in the reserve. As a result, it has become the most important habitat of giant panda that attracts attention of scientific community all over the world.
The natural landscape in Changqing Natural Reserve is characterized by its being high, cold, spectacular, dangerous, and beautiful. The weather there is so complicated that it is said, 'all four seasons concur in the mountains and the weather is different in ten miles.' Waterfalls and streams criss-cross in the mountains. Rare fowls and strange animals are sporting among exotic flowers and herbs. The Tangluo Trail, opened in the Han Dynasty, passes through the central region of the reserve.


This area is full of historical and cultural sites: there are still the remains of ancient temples, mausoleums, zhandao roods (the ancient road for military usage), bridges and city walls. The history and special landscape makes this reserve a place of special ecological environment. The scenery there pleases visitors at any stage during a year: in the spring the flowers blossom, in the autumn the leaves turn red, and in the winter the plants were covered by snow.

In this area, awkwardly lovable giant pandas are walking in the valleys, climbing the trees or playing in the water; golden monkeys are jumping in branches; the herds of mighty takins are running; Crested ibises, looking like the angels, are flying over the valleys. With its abundant natural resources and beautiful landscape, the reserve is an excellent place for biological study, scientific research, and education of environmental protection. It has been evaluated and registered by the 'the Green Globe 21' of the World Tourism Organization.

Since the establishment of Changqing Natural Reserve, a management system has been founded and improved, which emphasizes on the combination of protection, scientific research, and education.The protection management has become systematic and scientific.


As a result, the reserve is ranked among ten Chinese models of in this field by the Global Environment Fund, which also carried out many projects to improve the field patrol conditions and the infrastructure. With increasingly advanced management and normalized ecological environment, Changqing Natural Reserve is going to be the real Qinling Paradise of National Treasures.

The visitors from home and abroad are welcome to Changqing Natural Reserve to sightsee and investigate, to care about the living and multiplying of Four Treasures of Qinling Mountains, and to enjoy the primordial nature.