From the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the tropical rainforests in Xishuangbanna, flagship species such as black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys, Asian elephants and green peacocks are seeing the recovery of their habitats in southwest China's Yunnan province.
With an area of only 4.1 percent of China's total land area, the border province boasts the most diverse biological and ecological system in the country, and Yunnan's total number of nature reserves has increased to 362 at all administrative levels.
Over the past decade, the protection rate of key wildlife and plants in the province has notched up 83 percent and 77 percent, respectively. The population of Asian elephants has reached about 360, and that of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys 3,800.
"By the year 2025, the province is expected to have built one national park for Asian elephants and two parks in Gaoligong Mountain and Shangri-La in the Deqen Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Meanwhile, Yunnan's total natural reserves aim to reach 5.56 million hectares, accounting for 14.5 percent of its land area," said Tian Jianhong, deputy director of the provincial forestry and grassland administration.
