On March 3, which marks the 13th World Wildlife Day, China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration released a report saying that the country has seen a notable improvement in the quality of wildlife habitats. More than 80 percent of the country's nationally protected terrestrial wildlife and wild plant species are now under effective protection, and overall populations of wildlife and wild plants are growing steadily.
Giant panda Jia Bao takes a rest at Lanzhou Wild Animal Park in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province, April 25, 2024. (File photo: Xinhua)
China has strengthened its legal and regulatory framework for wildlife protection by revising the Wildlife Protection Law and updating the lists of nationally protected wild animals, plants, and other ecologically significant terrestrial species.
At present, 988 species of wild animals and around 1,200 species of wild plants are under national key protection. In addition, 1,924 terrestrial wildlife species are classified as having important ecological, scientific and social value. The scope of protection continues to expand, the Global Times learned from the administration.
China's first five national parks, established through an initial pilot program, are now home to nearly 30 percent of the country's nationally protected terrestrial wildlife and plant species. Moreover, authorities have designated 789 key habitats for terrestrial wildlife, identified 1,140 bird migration corridors and created more than 500 in-situ conservation sites for rare and endangered wild plants. All these moves have helped close longstanding gaps in habitat protection.
Besides, China has stepped up efforts to build an ex-situ conservation network, establishing nearly 600 rescue and rehabilitation centers for terrestrial wildlife. Conservation efforts have also been enhanced for rare and endangered species, such as the giant panda, the crested ibis and the snow leopard, with expanded programs in captive breeding, reintroduction and emergency rescue.
Moreover, China has expanded international cooperation on wildlife and plant conservation, faithfully implementing the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Convention on Biological Diversity. It has strengthened collaboration with countries that are home to species such as the Asian elephant, tiger and snow leopard, taken part in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership, and advanced joint bird conservation. Significant progress has also been made in captive breeding technology for pangolins, with a second generation now successfully bred in captivity.
For example, the Xinhua News Agency reported in November last year that the Giant Panda National Park protects approximately 1,340 wild giant pandas and also serves as a sanctuary for over 8,000 other rare and sympatric species, including the golden snub-nosed monkey, snow leopard, dove tree and Chinese yew. Experts noted that, as a flagship species, the giant panda exerts an "umbrella effect," safeguarding the countless other species that share its habitat efforts with Russia, Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand, according to the administration.
Latest monitoring data show that wild populations of the giant panda, snow leopard, Amur tiger, Amur leopard and crested ibis are increasing