Environmental protection officials plan to do a head count of plant and animal species across the country.

The survey will start in the second half of the year and aims to get a thorough idea of the status of the country's species.

Focus will be on agricultural crops, domesticated animals, trees, flowers, herbal plants, aquatic plants, micro-organism and species in nature reserves.

The survey will provide information for a national database on biological species, said Cai Lei, who is from the office in charge of implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity of the State Environmental Protection Administration.

Cai said different departments have different information but there is no comprehensive database in place.

Cai said the survey is a first step to fulfill an April 1 directive by the State Council to strengthen the protection and management of biological resources, which abound in China.

In an effort to safeguard the environment, control pollution and rebuild damaged ecosystems, the country has been strengthening its legal system on biodiversity protection.

Statistics from Cai's administration show that as of the end of last year the country had set up nearly 2,000 nature reserves, which made up 14.4 percent of the country's land area.

Some 21 of the reserves have been included in the list of internationally important wetlands and three have been listed as World Natural Heritage sites.

Currently, 80 percent of wild animals in the country and 60 percent of plants species, endangered animals and plants under State protection, are well protected in nature reserves, he said.

The theme for this year's International Biodiversity Day, which falls on May 22, is "Biodiversity: Food, Water and Health for all."

The survey will be jointly carried out by a number of ministries such as the State Environmental Protection Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture and the State Forestry Administration.

(China Daily May 21, 2004)