Dalinor National Nature Reserve

Dalinor National Nature Reserve

The Dalinor National Nature Reserve is a national-level nature reserve.

The Dalinor Nature Reserve is located in the western part of Hexigten Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, approximately 90 kilometers from Jingpeng Town, the seat of the Hexigten Banner People's Government. The reserve spans across three sums—Dalainuori, Darhanwula, and Aqiwula. Its northwest borders the Inner Mongolia Xilingol Grassland Nature Reserve, while its southern part lies in the eastern section of the Little Tengger Desert. To the west, it is bounded by the border between Xilingol League and Chifeng City, and to the east, it is about 80 kilometers from the Baiyin Aobao National Nature Reserve. The reserve’s geographic coordinates are between 116°22′—117°00′ east longitude and 43°11′—43°27′ north latitude, covering a total area of 119,413.55 hectares.

The Dalinor National Nature Reserve is an important migratory corridor for birds in northern China and one of their key gathering areas. Therefore, the Dalinor Nature Reserve is a comprehensive nature reserve primarily dedicated to protecting rare bird species and the diverse ecosystems they rely on, such as lakes, wetlands, deserts, grasslands, and woodlands. The unique natural and geographical conditions have nurtured the well-known inland lake ecosystem on the Inner Mongolia Plateau. The widespread lakes, rivers, marshes, and wet meadows throughout the reserve make up 35.8% of its total area, forming a vital wetland ecosystem that plays a dominant role in maintaining ecological balance and stability in the region. The vast steppe on the basalt plateau and lacustrine plain in the northwest of the reserve represents the most iconic chestnut-calcium grassland of the Inner Mongolia Plateau. In the Little Tengger Desert in the southern part of the reserve lies a distinctive elm sparse-forest grassland landscape, which is a rather unique type within the grassland zone. In the undulating sand dunes of the southeast, sandy mound vegetation and wetland vegetation intermingle, with sparse forests, shrubs, meadows, and marsh vegetation distributed in a circular pattern, creating a representative sand dune grassland landscape type.

A total of 160 bird species from 36 families and 16 orders have been identified in the Dalinor Nature Reserve. Among the nationally protected animal species in the reserve, those listed under the Priority Sequence for Bird Species Diversity Conservation in China’s Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan include: six species in Grade A-1 (black stork, red-crowned crane, white-naped crane, great bustard, Pallas’s sea eagle, and Chinese egret), three species in Grade A-2 (common crane, demoiselle crane, and whooper swan), and 11 species in Grade B (Chinese subspecies, including the lesser white-fronted goose, kite, sparrowhawk, common buzzard, hen harrier, merlin, Eurasian hobby, Amur falcon, and long-eared owl).

Among the rare bird species, wading birds and waterfowl make up the absolute majority. Every spring and autumn, several thousand whooper swans and hundreds of white-naped cranes, common cranes, and demoiselle cranes inhabit the area, along with dozens of great bustards that breed and live here.

The reserve boasts diverse ecosystems and abundant rare species. From a landscape-ecosystem perspective, the area forms a sequential ecological pattern from north to south: basalt plateau — lacustrine plain — lake basin lowland — aeolian sandy land, corresponding to the orderly distribution of plateau plain and lacustrine plain vegetation — low wetland vegetation — sandy sparse-forest grassland vegetation. Additionally, the lake group landscape centered around Dalinor and the mountainous landscapes formed by Daerhan Mountain and Zhanzi Mountain provide varied ecological environments for the rich species resources. A total of 160 bird species, 15 rodent species, 21 fish species, 72 phytoplankton species, 36 zooplankton species, over 20 benthic animal species, and about 434 higher plant species have been identified in the reserve. There are also several small mammal species within the reserve.

With its unique natural landscapes and diverse species, the reserve attracts numerous scholars, experts, and nature-loving tourists from China and abroad for research, visits, and travel, leaving all visitors with wonderful impressions. The reserve serves as both an important base for scientific research and an ideal destination for eco-tourism. Everywhere you look, there are picturesque scenes and landscapes, allowing visitors to fully experience the boundless charm of nature.

Jingpeng Town: Located in Hexigten Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia, Jingpeng Town is the seat of the Banner Party Committee and People’s Government. It serves as the political, economic, cultural, communication, information, and transportation hub of the entire banner. The town covers a total area of 348 square kilometers, including an urban area of 36 square kilometers and an urban construction area of 12 square kilometers. It administers 4 village committees, 32 natural villager groups, 7 neighborhood committees, and 52 resident groups, with a total population of 43,243 (14,307 households). The urban area currently hosts 32 privately-owned enterprises and 2,016 individual businesses, employing 3,814 people... More detailed information about Jingpeng Town++