Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries

Listed as a World Natural Heritage Site in 2006 Location： Sichuan Province， southwest China Best Time to Visit： March to May； September to November

THE Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries of Wolong， Siguniang Mountain and Jiajin Mountain are renowned for their importance for the conservation of the giant panda， recognized as a “National Treasure” in China and as a flagship for global conservation efforts.

Located in Chinas southwest Sichuan Province， between the Chengdu Plain and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau， the area includes seven natural reserves and 11 scenic parks in four prefectures or cities. It covers a total area of 924，500 hectares surrounded by a buffer zone of 527，100 hectares.

The sanctuaries are the largest and most significant remaining contiguous area of panda habitat in China and the world. They are also the most important source of giant panda for establishing the captive breeding population of the species. In addition to the giant panda， the area features a great number of endemic and threatened species of plants and animals， including other iconic mammal species such as the red panda， the snow leopard and the clouded leopard. Overall， the area is home to 109 species of mammals， which is more than 20 percent of all mammal species recorded in China. The region is also an important center of endemism for birds， with 365 recorded bird species， 300 of which breed locally.

The sanctuaries are also an important region for flora， being one of the botanically richest sites of any temperate region in the world with some 5，000 to 6，000 recorded species. Many plant species are relicts， such as the dove tree. There is significant diversity in groups such as magnolias， bamboos， rhododendrons and orchids. The area is a major source and gene pool for hundreds of traditional medicinal plants， many of which are now under threat.