Houmiling Nature Reserve

Houmiling Reserve

The Houmiling Reserve is a provincial-level nature reserve.

The Hainan Houmiling Provincial Nature Reserve is situated in Dongfang City, Hainan Province, bordering Changjiang and Ledong. To the north of the reserve lies the Hainan Bawangling National Nature Reserve, to the southeast is the Hainan Jiashan Provincial Nature Reserve, to the south is the Hainan Jianfengling National Nature Reserve, and to the northwest is the Hainan Daguanba Reservoir. Total land area: 12,215.33 hectares; core zone: 5,033.94 hectares; buffer zone: 2,873.044 hectares; experimental zone: 4,308.35 hectares. The reserve was approved for establishment by the Hainan Provincial People’s Government on July 23, 2004. It is a provincial-level reserve, primarily designated to protect forest ecosystems.

Approximately 98% of the exposed rock formations within the Houmiling Nature Reserve consist of sedimentary strata dating from the Silurian to the Permian periods. Due to these rock types, as well as climatic, altitudinal, and geographical factors, the soils are categorized into three main types: laterite, red-yellow soil, and mountain yellow soil.

Owing to its unique geography, climate, and hydrology, Houmiling nurtures extremely rich tropical biodiversity. It preserves relatively intact tropical rainforest types, representing a typical and representative natural ecosystem in the tropics with distinct rainforest characteristics. The area hosts 1,389 species (including varieties, subspecies, and forms) of vascular plants from 722 genera and 180 families, comprising 84 species of ferns (from 44 genera and 24 families), and 1,305 species of wild seed plants (from 678 genera and 156 families). Among these, one plant is listed under Class I and 14 under Class II of the “National Key Protected Plants List (First Batch),” along with 19 species noted in the “China Red Data Book of Rare and Endangered Plants.” Myrica esculenta is highly concentrated in Houmiling and serves as the dominant species in its tropical evergreen monsoon forests—especially between Yulong Mountain and Jiangbian Dalin, as well as in the Erji Ling area—where large, single-species Myrica stands are preserved, mainly consisting of mid-aged to young forests. Trees reach up to 25 meters in height, with diameters of 30 cm, which is very rare in Hainan. There are 260 species of terrestrial vertebrates across 75 families and 30 orders, including 13 amphibian species (from 4 families and 1 order), 34 reptile species (from 8 families and 3 orders), 170 bird species (from 43 families and 17 orders), and 43 mammal species (from 20 families and 9 orders). The reserve is home to five Class I nationally protected species: the Hainan Eld’s deer, the Malayan water monitor, the Hainan partridge, the Mrs. Hume's pheasant, and the python. Notably, since the release of 294 Eld’s deer into the wild in July 2003, their population has grown to over 400—a promising achievement. Thirty-nine Class II nationally protected species are also found here, including macaques, pangolins, black bears, and Hainan sambar deer. Thirty-nine animal species are listed under the CITES Appendices (1 in Appendix I, 29 in Appendix II, and 9 in Appendix III), and 49 are included in China’s Red Data Book of Endangered Animals. Seven species and 59 subspecies are endemic to Hainan Island, accounting for 30.4% of the island’s endemic species and 63.4% of its endemic subspecies. There are 18 fish species from 17 genera, 8 families, and 3 orders. Insects include 362 species from 285 genera, 90 families, and 15 orders. The establishment of the Hainan Houmiling Provincial Nature Reserve plays a significant role in protecting biodiversity and contributes substantially to water conservation, soil retention, climate regulation, and maintaining the positive functioning of ecosystems.