Wolong National Nature Reserve

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Categories: Nature reserves in China | Biological research institutes | Southwest China geography stubs

Wolong National Nature Reserve (simplified Chinese: 卧龙自然保护区; traditional Chinese: 臥龍自然保護區) is a protected area located in Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China. Established in 1963, the reserve covers an area of about 200,000 hectares. There are over 4,000 different species recorded in the reserve.^[1] Wolong National Nature Reserve houses more than 150 highly endangered giant pandas.

In June 1980, the China Research and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda was established with the efforts of both World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Chinese government. To this date, researchers have conducted many breeding research on giant pandas and have successfully bred 66 panda cubs.^[1]

A mountain stream runs through the Wolong Valley (where the Reserve is); the stream is heavily armoured with boulders and smaller rounded stones. Stream waters are rather alkaline with pH levels in the range of 8.91. (Hogan, 2007) Water quality turbidity is quite high due to extensive sand and gravel mining in stream.^[2]

According to a 2001 research by Dr. Jianguo Liu of Michigan State University, the rate of destruction is higher after the reserve's creation than before its creation. Using NASA's satellite images and records of population, Liu's research team concluded that due to tourism and the increase in local population, the reserve is facing an unprecedented threat. "Tourists don't think they have an impact on panda habitat, but indirectly each visitor has some impact," Liu said. "We don't see ourselves as a destructive force, but we are."^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b About Wolong, Wolong National Natural Reserve.
^ Hogan, C.M., Lumina Tech, Environmental analysis of the Wolong National Nature Reserve (2007)
^ (April 6, 2001). Endangered Pandas Not Safe in Chinese Nature Reserve, Environment News Service.