China’s national parks: The Combination of nature and culture

China is vast and beautiful. It includes just about every type of landscape and wildlife species imaginable, from tropical jungle to Himalayas. These massive ecosystems are home to an incredible wealth of biodiversity, including rare plant life and popular species like the beloved giant panda.

Sanjiangyuan National Park

The first national park to be trialed as part of the new system was Sanjiangyuan—the source of the Yangtze, Yellow and Mekong (Lancang) rivers. Situated in Qinghai province in far northwest China, the park covers 123,000 sq km of high-altitude wilderness on the Tibetan Plateau. Protected species include snow leopards, wild yaks, and Tibetan gazelles and antelope.

Wuyi Mountain National Park

Both a Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Wuyi Shan is one of the world’s largest subtropical primordial forest systems. Its dramatic gorges and rivers are home to thousands of types of protected wildlife like migratory birds and rare amphibians. And many visitors come to explore the archaeological remains of Han City as well as numerous 11^th-century Daoist temples and shrines.

Giant Panda National Park, Sichuan

China has been working hard in recent decades to reestablish the endangered giant panda, creating 67 panda reserves across Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. The new Giant Panda National Park encompasses these reserves and is home to more than 1000 wild pandas.

Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park

Situated in the Changbai Mountains along China’s border with Russia, this park covers the wild habitats of the big cats and has seen success in encouraging leopards and tigers to repopulate. Since 2017, 12 Siberian tiger cubs and 11 leopard cubs have been born here. Nearby is Jingpo Lake National Geopark near Mudanjiang in Heilongjiang province, with lakes, volcanic craters and ancient lava flows.

【小题1】What’s special for Sanjiangyuan National Park?

A．It’s the origin of three rivers.	B．It’s located on the Himalayas.
C．It’s situated in the southwest China.	D．It’s home to thousands of migratory birds.

【小题2】Which park would history lovers like to go?

A．Sanjiangyuan National Park.	B．Wuyi Mountain National Park.
C．Giant Panda National Park, Sichuan.	D．Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park.

【小题3】What do the national parks have in common?

A．Home to the wildlife.	B．Varieties of landscape.
C．Places of high-altitude.	D．Reserves of baby animals.