HUANGLONG (YELLOW DRAGON) NATIONAL PARK

Huanglong is a scenic and

historic interest area. It is
located in Songpan County,
northwest
of
Sichuan
Province, in the southern
part of Minshan Mountains
southeast of the QinghaiTibet Plateau, Huanglong
National Nature Reserve is
31.5 kilometers long from
south
to
north,
28.4
kilometers wide from east to
west and covers a total area
of 55,000 hectares. Its main
targets for protection are
natural scenery and rare wildlife.
Huanglong National Nature Reserve is a great conservation value for its large scale,
biodiversity, beautiful scenery, intact ecosystem and so on. It was listed in the World's
Natural Heritage in 1992 and formally included in the International Man and
Biosphere Reserve Network at the end of 2000. In the Reserve, there are many
splendors like snow mountains, primitive forests, canyons and colorful lakes. Its most
important feature is the outstanding karst formations. In a 7.5-kilometer-long valley
in the shape of U set between high hills and snowy mountains, the travertine falls and
limestone shoals run from an elevation of 3,578 meters down to 2,200 meters like a
soaring yellow dragon called Huanglong in Chinese. In Huanglong, there are three
temples: the front, middle and back, at an interval of 2,500 meters. All the three
temples are called Huanglong Temples, hence the name of the Reserve.
Biodiversity is very rich in the Reserve. Tall arbors and shrubs, vines, herbs and moss
constitute a harmonious picture. In primitive forests, Chinese Larch, Spruce, Katsura
tree and other rare and endangered plants that only China has are well preserved. In
mountain grassy marshland, there are many precious Chinese medicinal herbs such as
Chinese caterpillar fungus and Wujiapi (bark of slender acanthopanax). Therefore, the
Reserve enjoys a reputation of kingdom of cold temperate plants. Dense and lush
woods and grassland provide favorable conditions for various wild animals to live and
breed. The Reserve boasts more than 30 species of national Grade-A and Grade-B
protected animals including such notable species as giant panda Ailuropoda
melanoleuca, golden snub-nosed monkey Pygathrix roxellanae roxellanae, brown
bear Ursus arctos, Asiatic black bear Selenarctos thibetanus, leopard Panthera
pardus, Pallas' cat Felis manul, Asiatic wild dog Cuon alpinus, lesser panda Ailurus
fulgens and Sichuan takin Budorcas taxicolor thibetana.
Claudia Helen B
Felicia Angga P
Katarina Bestari U

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