Sanjiangyuan National Natural Reserve welcomes its 19th anniversary. The area is source of 3 main rivers in China. /VCG Photo
In Chinese, the name "Sanjiangyuan" means "headstream of three rivers", the source of Yangze River, Yellow River, and Lancang River, three of the main water systems in Asia. China established a national natural reserve in Sanjiangyuan area on August 19, 2000. As the second-largest natural reserve with the highest altitude, Sanjiangyuan functions as the core base of eco-conservation in China.
Located on Qinghai-Tibet plateau, parts of which span southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region and northwestern Qinghai Province, Sanjiangyuan area is usually seen as arid and frigid. It is home to a variety of rare animals. According to Sanjiangyuan official website, the natural reserve accommodates 85 species of mammals, 237 species of birds, 48 species of amphibians. Among them, 54 species are endemic to Qinghai-Tibet plateau; 16 species are under first-class national protection while 53 species are classified as the second-class under national protection. Let's take a look at the natural resource vault and its residents.
(Cover image via VCG)
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