Awareness of wetland protection enhanced in Haikou

Haikou has 29,093 hectares of wetlands, including coastal, river, lake and man-made. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Haikou, capital of South China's Hainan province, has 29,093 hectares of wetlands encompassing four distinct types, coastal, river, lake and man-made, according to the second provincial wetland resources survey released in 2014 by provincial authorities. Wetlands make up 12.7 percent of the land area under Haikou's jurisdiction.

Hainan Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve, covering more than 4,000 hectares in eastern Haikou, was established in 1980 and recognized as a site of international importance by the Ramscar Convention on Wetlands in 1992.

It is known as China's "mangrove gene bank", with more than 36 species of mangroves growing there.

Traces of Hainan's volcanic past can be seen in the distinctive wetland landscapes found in Yangshan, where an irrigation system was hewn from the igneous rocks hundreds of years ago.

This system has earned comparisons to the Dujiangyan irrigation system in Sichuan province, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

About 22 percent of wetland animals that can be found in China are in Haikou, 514 species in total. Haikou's wetlands are also home to 439 species of plants, accounting for 20.31 percent of the country's total.

Six of the species present, including the red jungle fowl and black-winged kite, are under national-level protection.

Haikou has a long tradition of protecting its wetland resources. In Haikou's mangrove planting areas, local authorities have paid close attention to the protection of wetlands since ancient times.

Haikou wetlands are home to a total of 514 species. [Photo provided to China Daily]