This is an introduction to the Nature reserves on Hainan Island.
There are 9 national level reserves, they are listed below in order of area, from largest to smallest.
Hainan Bawang Mountain National Nature Reserve (海南霸王岭国家级自然保护 Hǎinán bàwáng lǐng guójiā jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
Location: Changjiang County (昌江县)
Main object of protection: Black crested gibbon and habitat
Area (ha): 29,980
Bawangling National Forest Park is located in the southwest of Hainan in Changjiang County. It is one of the best preserved tropical forests.
They are said to be over 365 kinds of animal species, including rare animals such as black crested gibbon, clouded leopard, black bear, deer, and monitor lizards. It is one of the few remaining homes of the black crested gibbon on earth.
Here is a Hainan news story about a 3 day trip through the nature reserve looking for the gibbons (Chinese language, but has many pictures): http://news.hainan.net/newshtml08/2009w4r19/505725f0.htm.
Notable bird records from Bawangling National Park: http://www.orientalbirdclub.org/publications/forktail/21pdf/Lok-Hainan.pdf.
Back in 2003 Seacology.org (a nonprofit organisation) started a program to protect the Hainan Gibbons at Bawangling Reserve. They persuaded local villages to protect the Gibbon habitat by offering scholarships to village children. Find out more info on their website: http://www.seacology.org/projects/individualprojects/CHINA_Hainan2003.htm.
Pictures of a very old tree in the Bawang park:
Within the vicinity of the national park are some other points of interest:
Emperor cave (皇帝洞 Huángdì dòng) & Wangxia Underground Palace (王下地下宫 Wángxià dìxià gōng)
Emperor cave is a large limestone cave, 60 kilometers from the county capital Changjiang. Extending from west to east, the entrance is 60 meters wide, about 130 meters deep, 25 meters high, covering about 7,800 square meters. It can accommodate thousands of people. Inside the cave are colorful stalactites and shapes. Archaeological experts have collected Neolithic artifacts from inside the cave, some are displayed at the Hainan Museum in Haikou. Outside, the cave is surrounded by mountains, range upon range of peaks, and the Nanyao river. The Underground Palace is also a karst cave with strange stalactite shapes and colours.
Pictures of Emperor cave and the Underground Palace:
Nanyao River (南尧河 Nányáo hé)
The second largest tributary of the important Changhua River. Length of 41 kilometers, drainage area of 371 square kilometers, with a total drop of 1347 meters. Nanyao river is very scenic because it runs through a karst valley (hence the abundance of caves in the area). Part of the river is known locally as 'Mural Corridor' (十画长廊) because of the colourful karst cliffs towering over the river.
Pictures of the Nanyao River and the Hongshui Village which is a few kilometers up the river from the Emperor cave:
View from the road to Wangxia Village, looking towards the Daguangba Reservoir:
Here is a photo diary of a 4 day walking adventure through Nanyao River (南尧河 Nányáo hé), Emperor cave (皇帝洞 Huángdì dòng), and Daguangba reservoir (大广坝段 dàguǎngbà duàn). It is divided into 4 sections. Contains many nice photos that give you a good idea about the area. http://www.tianya.cn/techforum/Content/176/541290.shtml
Qicha Township Kapok Trees (七叉乡木棉 Qīcha xiāng Mùmián)
Qicha Township is just west of the national park and has many farm terraces and Kopok trees. Kapok, or Ceiba pentandra, is an emergent tree of tropical rainforests. It can grow up to 70m tall. It flowers red and orange in the spring.
Qicha Hotspring (七叉温泉)
From Changjiang head to Qicha Town. About 1 m after the fork in the road you can school the secondary school. About 50m further down on the right is a 40sqm outdoor pond. The natural spring may not be clean or suitable for use.
Also in Chanjiang County is Changhua Ridge 昌化岭 and Qizi Bay 棋子湾, on the west coast.
Changjiang news portal (Chinese): http://changjiang.hinews.cn
Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, Hainan (海南尖峰岭国家级自然保护 Hǎinán jiānfēng lǐng guójiā jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
For more photos see http://www.haikouhostel.com/hainan-photo-gallery/category/13-jianfengridge
Jianfengling National Nature Reserve is located in the southwest of Hainan, spanning Ledong (乐东县) and Dongfang (东方) counties. The geographical coordinates are: longitude 108 ° 44 '~ 109 ° 02', latitude 18 ° 23 '~ 18 ° 52'.
The main object of protection is its tropical forest ecosystem. It has an area of 20,170 (ha).
The nature reserve was founded in 1960, it was the first nature reserve in Hainan Province. In 2002 it was promoted to National Nature Reserve to protect its tropical virgin forest ecosystems. It is the lowest latitude tropical rain forest in China。
It is also one of China's most biologicaly diverse tropical forests.
Natural Environment
The protected area includes peaks, valleys, hills, and water basins. It has distinct wet and dry seasons, the rainy season is from June to October, dry season is November to May.
The average annual temperature is 19.7 ℃ and the annual average relative humidity is 88%.
Animal and Plant Resources
Notable plants include: Hainan cycads and Cyatheas
The park is home to 7 species of animal that are protected at the national level, namely Hainan Eld's deer, Hainan black gibbon, clouded leopard, peacock pheasant, the monitor lizards, Hainan Partridge, and pythons. It's also rich in butterflies, with as many as 449 kinds of species.
Jianfengling Reserve has a peak elevation of 1412 m. Vegetation varies with altitude. Below 800m you will find rain forests, above this level the forests turn into pine and alpine forests.
Infoematio source: http://www.hainan.gov.cn
Diaoluoshan Hainan Provincial Nature Reserve (海南吊罗山省级自然保护区 Hǎinán diào luó shān shěng jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
Lingshui County (陵水县)
Tropical rainforest ecosystem
18,389
Home to the Feng Guo Waterfall (枫果瀑布), a large waterfall hidden away in the mountains.
For more info see: http://www.haikouhostel.com/places-in-hainan/95-diaoluo-mountain-area
Wuzhishan National Nature Reserve (海南五指山国家级自然保护 Hǎinán wǔzhǐshān guójiā jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
Qiongzhong (琼中县)
Tropical forest ecosystem
13,436
For more info, go here.
Dazhou Island National Nature Reserve of Hainan (海南大洲岛国家级自然保护 Hǎinán dàzhōu dǎo guójiā jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
Wanning City (万宁市)
Swiftlet and habitat
7,000
Sanya Coral Reef National Nature Reserve (海南三亚珊瑚礁国家级自然保护 Hǎinán sānyà shānhújiāo guójiā jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
Sanya City (三亚市)
Coral reefs and habitats
5,568
Tongguling National Nature Reserve in Hainan (海南铜鼓岭国家级自然保护 Hǎinán tónggǔ lǐng guójiā jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
Location: Wenchang County (文昌)
Key areas of protection: Coral reefs, geological features, tropical monsoon elfin forest, wild animals
Area (ha): 4,400
Tongguling Nature Reserve is located in the north-east of Hainan. It is on the south east coast of Wenchang county, about 30 km from Wenchang Town. The geographical coordinates are E: 110 ° 58'30 "~ 111 ° 03'00", N: 19 ° 36'54 "~ 19 ° 41'21". It is about 45km sq in size, about 30km sq of which is sea.
There are about 1000 plant species, 10 species of birds and 20 kinds of reptiles, plus amphibians and insects.
A key area of protection are the shallow coral reefs. Typical reef organisms in the reserve include: scleractinian corals, coralline algae, staghorn corals, soft corals, fish, algae, mollusks, benthic organisms and other reef organisms.
Tongguling has geological features that are rare in China including the erosion of igneous rocks by both weathering and wave erosion. This results in the formation of sea cliffs, sea caves, sea niches, etc. The area is situated near a deep fault line and so historically affected by tectonic plate movement and once was volcanic.
Source http://www.hainan.gov.cn
For more info see: http://www.haikouhostel.com/places-in-hainan/26-tonggu-ling-a-yue-liang-bay
Stone Park is area of the Tongguling Nature Park. This is where the most interesting rock formations are, hence the name. There is a short article on the stone park area here: http://www.haikouhostel.com/places-in-hainan/32-stone-park
Dongzhaigang National Nature Reserve, Hainan (海南东寨港国家级自然保护 Hǎinán dōng zhài gǎng guójiā jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
Qiongshan City (琼山市)
Mangrove forests and habitats
3,337
For more info, go here.
Mangroves are a unique woody plant community of inter-tidal coasts in the tropical and sub-tropical zones. Due to their unique physiology and ecology, mangroves provide optimal breeding areas for many kinds of fish and shrimps, as well as feeding habitats for resident and migrant water birds. Furthermore, mangroves protect fresh water resources against salt water intrusion, they protect the land from eroding waves and winds and stabilize the coastal land. The mangroves can be considered as a natural barrier protecting the lives and property of coastal communities from the frequent typhoons occurring in southern China.
http://www.ramsar.org/cda/en/ramsar-documents-wurl-plans-ramsar-site-management-22018/main/ramsar/1-31-116-163%5E22018_4000_0__
Rare, an international environmental conservation organization, today invited a group of leaders in business, government and the environment to the mangrove forests of northern Hainan. The Dongzhaigang Nature Reserve is home to critical wetlands and highly endangered species, representing natural and cultural treasures that Rare has been striving to preserve throughout China over the past eight years.
http://www.rareconservation.org/article/rare-reaches-new-heights-hainan
Datian National Nature Reserve of Hainan (海南大田国家级自然保护 Hǎinán dàtián guójiā jí zìrán bǎohù qū)
Dongfang City (东方市)
Hainan Eld's deer and habitat
1,314
Provincial level Nature Reserves:
Jianling Ridge Nature Reserve 尖岭森林自然保护区
Near Wanning town.
Limu Mountain Nature Reserve
Nature Reserve,Hainan Island
