China is one of the countries with the greatest diversity of wildlife in the world. There are more than 2,000 species of terrestrial vertebrates, more than 10 percent of the world’s total. There are 1,189 known species of birds, nearly 500 animal species, more than 210 species of amphibians and 320 species of reptiles.
Among the wild animals, there are many rare species found only in China. These include the giant panda, golden monkey, white-lipped dear, takin, Chinese river dolphin and Chinese alligator. The Manchurian tiger is also a rare animal in China.
Giant pandas, recognized as one of China’s national treasures, live in the remote mountain areas of Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanzi provinces and feed on bamboo. The panda is also called a living fossil. This animal is a remnant species which thrived during the glacier period of the Quaternary.
China has 7,000 species of woody plants, of which 2,800 are arbors. In a concerted effort to protect the nation’s zoological and botanical resources, China had establisedh 932 nature reserves covering 76,71 million hectares by 1997.
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