Yinjiabian Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve

Yinjiabian Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve

The Yinjiabian Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve is located in Yinjia Village, Guandai Township, about 19 kilometers southwest of Changxing County. The established crocodile center conservation base covers an area of 53 mu, including 30 mu of water surface, 20 mu of farmland, and 3 mu of breeding land. Three artificial ponds have been built, totaling 1,120 square meters, with 2,400 bamboo plants.

The Chinese alligator, also known as the tuó, is commonly referred to as the "water gecko" or "earth dragon" and is closely related to dinosaurs. It is a Class I protected animal in China and a globally endangered, protected, and no-take species, with high economic and medicinal value.

The area along the northern bank of the Sixian River in Changxing County features a secluded environment, mild climate, and abundant food sources, making it one of the main habitats of the Chinese alligator in China. In 1982, the provincial People's Congress Standing Committee designated Yinjiabian in Changxing as the Zhejiang Provincial Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve. The reserve established a Chinese alligator breeding farm, which in 1986 housed 25 alligators of various sizes, accounting for about 80% of Zhejiang Province’s Chinese alligator population. By the 1990s, 116 Chinese alligators had been bred, 10 of which were young alligators introduced to settle on Laoshan Island at Qiandao Lake in Chun’an.

Dr. G. Webb, Deputy Chairman of the Crocodile Specialist Group under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and his team once visited the Yinjiabian Chinese Alligator Nature Reserve. They praised the local farmers for actively participating in the protection of this critically endangered species, calling it a valuable exploration of “human–alligator coexistence.” Since the establishment of the reserve, it has received over 1,400 domestic and international scholars, leaders, and visitors.

Source: Huzhou Municipal People’s Government

Sixian Town: Sixian is a historic ancient town, first built during the Sui Dynasty. It is one of the 136 central towns in Zhejiang Province and was rated as a municipal-level sanitary town in 2002. Location advantages: Situated in the southwestern part of Changxing County, it lies at the junction of Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, and at the intersection of Changxing, Anji, and Guangde counties. To the east is Taihu Lake, and to the west is Tianmu Mountain. Its geographical location is uniquely advantageous. Historically, it has thrived in border trade, attracted merchants, and served as a strategic military stronghold. Transportation advantages: It is 27 kilometers from the county seat and within 200 km of major cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Wuxi. Transportation is convenient, with National Highway 318 and Provincial Road 04 intersecting here... More detailed information about Sixian Town++