China reports progress in first five national parks, with wildlife numbers rising

(ECNS) — China has made progress in conserving ecosystems and protecting wildlife in its first five national parks since they were launched in 2021, with populations of several flagship species recovering, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said Monday.

The five parks are Sanjiangyuan National Park, Giant Panda National Park, Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park and Wuyishan National Park. Together they cover 230,000 square kilometers (about 88,800 square miles) and incorporate more than 120 existing nature reserves and other protected areas.

An assessment found that 75% of the indicators used to evaluate the parks' ecological benefits were rated excellent. Key ecosystem services, including water retention, carbon sequestration and soil and water conservation, have also improved, the administration said.

According to the assessment report, at Sanjiangyuan, known as the "Water Tower of China," water conservation capacity has strengthened, with an average of 80 billion cubic meters of high-quality water flowing downstream each year.

The Giant Panda National Park has established ecological corridors connecting 13 local populations of wild giant pandas, improving habitat connectivity. The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park has carried out ecological restoration across 600,000 mu (40,000 hectares) of land and improved cross-border wildlife corridors to aid animal movement.

In Hainan, stricter protection of natural forests and rainforest restoration have helped improve the tropical rainforest ecosystem. Wuyishan National Park has introduced a mechanism to buy back commercially managed forests in key areas to support forest conservation and restoration.

Wildlife population figures have also risen. The Tibetan antelope population in Sanjiangyuan has recovered to more than 70,000, while the number of wild Siberian tigers in the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park has increased to 72 from 27 when the park was established. Wild Amur leopards have risen to 115 from 42 over the same period.

The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park has also recorded rare footage of a wild Siberian tiger accompanied by five cubs.

The Hainan gibbon population has grown to seven groups comprising 44 individuals, making it the only gibbon population in the world that continues to increase, according to the administration. The Giant Panda National Park protects more than 70% of China's wild giant pandas.

Wuyishan National Park has also recorded the discovery of several new species, including the Wuyi brown frog and Gastrodia fujianensis, adding to the area's documented biodiversity.

The parks have also created income opportunities for local communities. Nearly 50,000 residents have been hired as ecological rangers, earning annual wages of 12,000 yuan (about $1,793) to 21,000 yuan per person.

(By Zhang Dongfang)