First in the country! The wild population of giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains reaches 345
According to information from the Changqing National Nature Reserve in Shaanxi, since 2020, 17 of the infrared cameras installed at 29 monitoring points in the Huayang area of the Changqing National Nature Reserve in Shaanxi have recorded information about the activities of giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains. A total of 79 Qinling pandas have been photographed (the same spot is counted as once every half an hour).
Since the establishment of the reserve 26 years ago, the forest coverage rate in the area has increased from 83.5% to 97.46%. The number of giant pandas in the Qinling Mountains has increased from 31 at the beginning of the construction of the area to 57 now. The habitat of giant pandas has expanded to the surrounding communities by more than 1,100 hectares.
Over the years, the Shaanxi forestry department has continuously strengthened the ecological protection and restoration work of the Qinling Mountains, and formed the "Qinling Model" of mountain protection through exploration and practice.
Up to now, the forest coverage rate in the Qinling Mountains has reached 65.69%, with 118 nature reserves, and a system of nature reserves with national parks as the main body has basically taken shape.
The living environment of wild animals and plants has been effectively improved. The number of wild animal populations represented by the "Four Treasures of Qinling" giant pandas, crested ibis, takin, and golden monkeys, and the wild plant resources represented by "Qinling Shuangjiao" Taxus chinensis and Davidia involucrata continue increase.
According to the fourth survey of giant pandas, the wild population of Qinling giant pandas reached 345, ranking first in the country in terms of growth and density.
Crested ibis conservation is known as the "world's successful model of saving endangered species". The population of crested ibis has grown from 7 discovered in 1981 to more than 2,000 in 2015 to more than 5,000 at present.
There are nearly 5,000 takins and more than 5,000 golden monkeys.
(CCTV reporter Chen Wu and Bai Longfei)