Maoming Linzhouding Crocodile Lizard Provincial Nature Reserve

　　The Maoming Linzhouding Crocodile Lizard Provincial Nature Reserve is situated in the northeastern part of Maoming City, covering parts of Sihuo and Xinbao towns in Xinyi City. It borders the Yangchun Baiyong Provincial Nature Reserve to the east and neighbors the Luhu Ding Reserve to the southwest. Its geographical coordinates are between 22°20′50″–22°30′00″ north latitude and 111°29′10″–111°39′45″ east longitude, with a total area of 6,064.8 hectares. This includes a core zone of 2,517.5 hectares, a buffer zone of 1,163.5 hectares, and an experimental zone of 2,383.8 hectares.

　　The Linzhouding Reserve boasts abundant biological resources. To date, 1,156 species of wild vascular plants have been recorded in the area, including seven species under national key protection such as Alsophila spinulosa, Ceratopteris thalictroides, and Madhuca pasquieri. There are also 208 species of insects across 12 orders and 71 families, and 225 species of wild vertebrates from 5 classes, 27 orders, and 85 families, among which 20 species are under national key protection. Notably, the reserve is home to four Class I protected animals: the Chinese crocodile lizard, Chinese giant salamander, Chinese python, and clouded leopard. The vegetation here exhibits strong primitiveness, and the ecological environment remains largely natural. Over half of the reserve’s area consists of well-preserved natural secondary evergreen broad-leaved forests. It serves as the source of the Luoding River—a first-level tributary of the West River—as well as the Sihuo River and Bailong River. As a crucial ecological barrier and water conservation forest area in western Guangdong, it also plays a significant role in safeguarding water sources across the West River basin. Most importantly, Linzhouding hosts the world’s largest known population of Chinese crocodile lizards. Currently, the reserve is home to around 1,000 wild individuals, with over 200 rescued and rehabilitated. The establishment of the reserve is vital for the survival, breeding, and scientific research of the Chinese crocodile lizard, yielding substantial ecological, social, and economic benefits.

　　Source: Guangdong Provincial Forestry Department