Foping National Nature Reserve

Foping Nature Reserve
佛坪国家级自保护区
Map showing the location of Foping Nature Reserve

Map of China

Location Shaanxi Province, China
Coordinates 33°39′29″N 107°48′25″E / 33.658°N 107.807°E / 33.658; 107.807Coordinates: 33°39′29″N 107°48′25″E / 33.658°N 107.807°E / 33.658; 107.807[1]
Area 350 km2 (140 sq mi)
Established 1978
http://www.fpnr.org/

Foping Nature Reserve (simplified Chinese: 佛坪国家级自保护区; traditional Chinese: 佛坪國家級自保護區; pinyin: Fópíng guójiājí zì bǎohù qū; literally: "Foping National Level Nature Protection Area") in Shaanxi Province, China, is a nature reserve and national park situated in the Qinling Mountains. The Nature Reserve covers 350 km2 (140 sq mi) and is under the leadership of the Ministry of Forestry. Foping Nature Reserve is girdled by other protected areas: It is bordered in the east by the Long-caoping Forest Farm; in the west it is flanked by the Changqing Nature Reserve; Zhouzhi Nature Reserve, the stronghold of the Golden Monkey, and Laoxiancheng Nature Reserve are situated to the north.[2] The Foping Reserve covers 29,240 hectares (72,300 acres) of rugged mountain terrain and is home to a stable panda population.[3] Elevations range from 1,080 to 2,094 m with warm summers and cold winters. 950–1,200 mm of rain falls mostly from July to September, with snow at higher elevations. Forested lands dominate the reserve with a mix of conifers and broadleaf deciduous trees.[4]

History

The Foping Nature Reserve was set up in 1978 with a view to protecting the giant panda.

Roads

Roads end at the reserve edge to minimize human presence in the interior of the reserve.[4]

Flora and fauna

Mammals found in the reserve include the giant panda, golden monkey, serow, goral, forest musk deer, Asiatic black bear, and leopard.[4] Also red and white giant flying squirrel lives in the reserve.[5]

Golden Snub-nosed monkey
Asiatic black bear

Giant panda population

The Foping National Natural Reserve supported a relatively stable population of about 64 pandas from 1974–1993 where they avoided people and lived in areas with bamboo growing well.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "Foping Nature Reserve". protectedplanet.net.
  2. ↑ "Native Place of the Giant Panda in Qinling Mountains --Foping National Nature Reserve". wildgiantpanda.org. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  3. ↑ LIU Xuehua, TOXOPEUS Albertus G., Skidmore Andrew K., SHAO, Xiaoming, DANG Gaodi, WANG Tiejun, and PRINS Herbert H. T. 2005. Giant panda habitat selection in Foping Nature Reserve, China. Journal of Wildlife Management 69(4):1623-1632. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2193/0022-541X(2005)69[1623:GPHSIF]2.0.CO;2
  4. 1 2 3 ZENG Zhi-gao, ZHONG Wen-qin, SONG Yan-Ling, LI Jun-Sheng, and GUO Feng. 2002. Group size, composition and stability of golden takin in Shaanxi Foping Nature Reserve, China. Folia Zool. 51(4):289-298.
  5. ↑ Doucette, Dan (2012-03-24). "Red and White Giant Flying Squirrel". Project Noah. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
  6. ↑ YONG Yange, ZHANG Jian, ZHANG Shanning. 1993. The distribution and number of the giant panda in the Foping Reservation. Acta Theriologica Sinica. 13:245-250.

External links

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