To better protect the range of species living there, Tibet has taken huge efforts in setting up natural reserves, striking poaching activities and launching environment-friendly projects.
Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, known as the "roof of the world," is rich in plant and animal bio-diversity, according to the results of an investigation published recently.
Rich species of plant, vertebrate and insect
The investigation, carried out this year, shows that the region boasts more than 6,800 varieties of higher plants, 39 of which are rare plants under state-level protection.
Tibet is also home to 799 species of wild vertebrate; of this total, 125 species, more than one-third of the national total, are under state-level protection. Among 488 species of birds living in the region, 22 are unique to Tibet.
More than 2,300 species of insects, over 760 kinds of zooplankton and 340 kinds of water plants of the diatom family also live in the region.
Nature Reserve in Tibet's No-man Zone
To better protect the local ecological environment and protect the range of species living there, Tibet has established 18 nature reserves of state and regional levels, covering an area of more than 330,000 square kilometers -- nearly one-third of the region's total land space.
Meanwhile, local public security departments have launched hard strikes against activities threatening the safety of wildlife.
This year, the region launched a massive program to prevent soil erosion, desertification, geological disasters and deterioration of grassland to safeguard the local ecological environment.
According to a plan, in the first half of this century, a total of 22.7 billion yuan(US$2.75 billion) will be spent on building 160 environment-friendly projects in the region.
Rare Tigers Discovered in Tibet
At least 20 wild tigers are reported to be living on Tibet's snow-capped Himalayas, 4,000 meters above the sea level.
Experts from Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region said in Lhasa that the animals are a group of the tiger family living on the highest place in the world.
Tibet Has A Paradise for Wild Animals
The Hongla Mountain in Markam County, Tibet Autonomous Region, has become a paradise for wild animals.
There is a protection zone for Yunnan golden monkeys, a rare animal species like the giant pandas, called the "State treasure."
(China Daily December 31, 2001)
