Wolong National Nature Reserve facts for kids

Wolong National Nature Reserve is a special protected area, like a big national park, located in Sichuan Province, People's Republic of China. It was created in 1963 to protect its amazing wildlife and nature.

This reserve is huge, covering about 200,000 hectares, which is like 2,000 square kilometers! It's home to more than 4,000 different kinds of plants and animals. Most importantly, Wolong National Nature Reserve is a key home for over 150 highly endangered giant pandas.

Protecting Giant Pandas

Wolong is famous for its work in saving the giant panda. In June 1980, the China Research and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda was set up here. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) worked together with the Chinese government to create this important center.

Scientists at the center have worked hard to learn how to help giant pandas have babies. They have been very successful, helping 66 panda cubs be born and grow. This work is very important for increasing the number of pandas in the world.

Wolong's Environment

A mountain stream flows through the Wolong Valley, which is where the reserve is located. This stream has many large rocks and smaller round stones. The water in the stream is a bit alkaline, meaning it's not acidic.

Challenges for the Reserve

Even though Wolong is a protected area, it faces some challenges. A study in 2001 by Dr. Jianguo Liu from Michigan State University found that some parts of the reserve were being damaged faster after it became a reserve than before.

This research used NASA satellite images and information about how many people visited the area. The study showed that more tourism and a growing number of people living nearby were putting pressure on the reserve. Dr. Liu explained that visitors might not think they are harming panda homes, but indirectly, each person has an impact. He said, "We do not see ourselves as a destructive force, but we are." This means everyone needs to be careful when visiting natural areas.

Images for kids

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  Lilium regale, a beautiful local flower

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  Many giant panda houses were broken in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake

See also

In Spanish: Reserva natural nacional Wolong para niños