Covering 100,000 hectares including 36,000 hectares of wetland, the Xianghai National Nature Reserve in Jilin Province is mainly aimed at protecting rare birds such red-crowned crane and rare plant species involving Mongolian yellow elm.

The reserve is a famous genetic pool of wetland fauna and flora in the world. Established in 1981, it became a national nature reserve in 1986. At present, around 600 species of wild fauna and flora are found in the reserve, including 52 species of wild animals under the government's key protection.

Through the efforts of the central government and the relevant local departments, an animal and plant protection system has been established initially at the reserve.

(People's Daily July 29, 2005)