Wanglang Nature Reserve, Sichuan, China Photograph by © WWF-Canon/John E. NEWBY   Eastern Asia: Central China Temperate Coniferous Forests   6,400 square miles (16,700 square kilometers) -- about the size of Hawaii Vulnerable

· Remote Forests
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Remote Forests

Remote conifer forests on the northern slopes of the Qilian mountain range comprise a distinctive ecological community that may support several mammal species of conservation significance. Little is known about this remote ecoregion and, as a result, the status of its wildlife is uncertain.

Special Features

The Qilian mountain range stretches along the northeastern rim of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and borders the Alashan Desert. Some peaks are more than 18,000 feet (5500 m) high. The montane vegetation is made up of alpine meadow and scrub, with conifer trees growing on the north-facing mountain slopes.

	The Tibetan gazelle is found in small herds on the plateau and does not descend below 14,000 feet (4267 m).

Wild Side

Most of the trees in the Qilian Mountains Conifer Forests ecoregion are spruce, juniper, and fir. These conifers tower above a dense understory of small bamboo plants. Forest animals such as takin--a large gnu-like animal--and musk deer likely live on the steppes and meadows of the Qilian Mountains. The rare snow leopard probably still roams the conifer forests. And the endangered white-lipped deer, wild yak, Tibetan gazelle, and ibex climb the steep hills and graze throughout the ecoregion. However, more research is needed to fully catalog the wildlife of these remote forests.

Cause for Concern

The ecoregion's endangered ungulate (hoofed animals) species and their predators are susceptible to hunting pressures as other areas lose their wildlife. Without detailed knowledge of the wildlife found in these mountains, it is difficult to protect them. Therefore these mountains should be studied more intently to learn more about their biodiversity.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.