Wildlife protection efforts reach a fresh peak

In 1981, there were only seven crested ibises in the region. Today, their population has soared to more than 3,500, with over 3,100 living in wild habitats covering an area of 3,600 sq km. The number of wild pandas has increased from 109 in the 1980s to 345, and the populations of takin and golden snub-nosed monkeys have reached 4,000 and 5,000, thanks to an improved environment, strengthened protection efforts and crackdowns on crimes related to wild animals.

"The Qinling Mountains are home to 33 nature reserves with a combined area of 5,667 sq km, equivalent to a 10th of the total area of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi," said Dang Shuangren, director of the Shaanxi Forestry and Grassland Bureau. "Our hard work in ecological and environmental protection over the decades has created a sound living environment for wildlife in the mountains."

In October 2017, after more than two decades of preparation, the Qinling National Botanical Garden opened, becoming the first national-level facility of its kind in China.

Located in the northern foothills of the Qinling Mountains in Zhouzhi county, about 70 km from Xi'an, the provincial capital, the garden covers 639 sq km, and is by far the largest botanical garden on the planet.