Horqin National Nature Reserve

Horqin National Nature Reserve

Horqin National Nature Reserve is a national-level nature reserve.

Horqin National Nature Reserve

Horqin National Nature Reserve is situated in the northeastern part of the banner, with geographical coordinates between 44°51′42″ and 45°17′36″ north latitude, and 121°40′13″ and 122°14′07″ east longitude. It borders Tuquan County to the north, neighbors the Xianghai National Nature Reserve in Jilin Province to the east, is bounded by the Huolin River to the south, and lies 27 kilometers west of Bayan Hushuo Town, the seat of the banner government. The reserve stretches approximately 46 kilometers from north to south and about 44 kilometers from east to west, covering a total area of 126,987 hectares. It is a comprehensive nature reserve primarily dedicated to protecting the Horqin grassland, wetland ecosystems, and rare bird species such as cranes and storks that inhabit the area. Within the reserve, the original natural landscape of the Horqin grassland is relatively well-preserved. It features natural secondary forests of elm trees dominated by Ulmus pumila and Ulmus macrocarpa; shrub-grasslands characterized by Prunus sibirica and Stipa grandis; as well as diverse types of wetlands.

The most distinctive landscape feature of the reserve is the mosaic distribution of sandy dune vegetation and lowland wetland vegetation. On the sandy dunes, sparse woodland and shrub communities are the main representatives, while on the flat, chestnut-calcium soil sands, Prunus sibirica and Stipa grandis shrub-grasslands are widely distributed. Between the sandy dunes, in the low-lying wetlands, swamp and meadow vegetation form ring-like distributions. Within the limited space of the reserve, the main representative types of the Horqin grassland are condensed.

Three rivers converge within the reserve: the Huolin River to the south, and the Emut River and Tuquan River to the north. All three form large areas of reeds and marsh-wetlands as headless rivers.

Due to the complex ecological environment types within the reserve—including wetlands, grasslands, shrubs, sparse woodlands, sandy land, and over 40 large and small water bodies scattered throughout—the area provides an optimal natural habitat for the nesting and breeding of numerous bird species. There are more than 225 species of birds in the reserve, including 8 species under first-class national protection: the white stork, black stork, red-crowned crane, Siberian crane, white-naped crane, great bustard, golden eagle, and Steller’s sea eagle. There are also 34 species under second-class national protection, such as the hooded crane, demoiselle crane, common crane, whooper swan, Eurasian spoonbill, Eurasian eagle-owl, red-necked grebe, greater white-fronted goose, little gull, and 18 species of raptors. Among these, the white stork, red-crowned crane, Siberian crane, and white-naped crane are listed as endangered species in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), while the Eurasian spoonbill and great bustard are classified as severely threatened species globally. Among these rare species, cranes and storks hold a particularly significant position in the reserve’s biodiversity. There are 15 crane species worldwide, 9 of which are found in China—the highest number in the world. The Horqin National Nature Reserve is home to 6 crane species, accounting for 40% of the global crane species and 66.7% of China’s crane species. Among them, the white-naped crane and common crane are migratory species in this area, while the red-crowned crane, white-naped crane, and demoiselle crane breed here in considerable numbers.

The reserve has three core zones: the Ecosystem Core Zone, the Species Protection Core Zone, and the Rare Bird Breeding Core Zone, covering a total area of 17,800 hectares.

In 1985, the Xing’an League government approved the establishment of the nature reserve. In May 1994, the People’s Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region upgraded it to a regional-level nature reserve. On November 6, 1995, the State Council approved its promotion to a national-level nature reserve and established the Horqin National Nature Reserve Administration.

Bayan Hushuo Town: Today, Bayan Hushuo Town boasts complete infrastructure and convenient transportation. The Tonghuo Railway (Tongliao–Huolinhe) runs east-west, and National Highway 111 stretches north-south, forming a crisscrossing, well-connected railway and road transportation network centered around Bayan Hushuo Town, with all villages accessible by road. The town features advanced postal and telecommunications facilities, with a three-dimensional communication network primarily based on optical cable digital microwave and satellite systems already in place. Program-controlled telephones, mobile communications, and wireless paging services cover the entire town. The area has ample power energy resources, including a substation built in the town by the Northeast Power Grid Company… More detailed information about Bayan Hushuo Town++