Sanjiangyuan is the birthplace of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, and its north-south mountain range provides a migration channel and shelter for many species. Although it makes up less than 0.4 percent of China's land area, it is home to more than 20 percent of the country's higher plant communities and 25 percent of animal species. The Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve was established in 2000. Nearly 100,000 plateau residents bid farewell to their herding and hunting life and reclaimed 363,000 square kilometers of land, providing a peaceful home for plateau wildlife.