Habahu Lake

　　  The Habahu Ecological Sightseeing Tourist Area is situated in the central-northern part of Yanchi County, belonging to the Yanchi-Tongxin-Xiangshan arid grassland desert region. It stretches 38 kilometers from north to south and 64 kilometers from east to west, covering a total area of 160,000 hectares. It is one of the scenic areas within Huama Temple National Forest Park.     The vegetation in the Habahu Nature Reserve belongs, floristically, to the Eurasian steppe zone — a transitional area between Central Asia and the Loess Plateau Steppe Province of China, extending to the Inner Mongolia Grassland Province. According to surveys, the reserve is home to 507 known plant species, classified under 76 families and 276 genera. Of these, 323 species belong to 173 genera across 54 wild plant families, while there are 184 species from 46 cultivated plant families. Among them, one species, Ammopiptanthus mongolicus, is a nationally protected plant. Plants with high medicinal and economic value include Ephedra, licorice, and Sophora alopecuroides.

　　    The reserve hosts a total of 149 species (including subspecies) of terrestrial wildlife across 51 families and 25 orders. There are 2 species of nationally protected Class I birds; 16 species of nationally protected Class II birds; and 3 species of nationally protected Class II mammals. The reserve includes 436 species of insects in 140 families under Insecta, 13 species of spiders in 7 families under Arachnida, and 17 species of horsehair worms in 5 families. The area features unique desert-type landscapes, including arid mountains, dry grasslands, large communities of willow, sand willow, and Caragana, as well as sizable lakes, deserts, forests, orchards, oases, and numerous cultural and historical relics.

　　    The Habahu Nature Reserve is a rare and representative natural complex in arid and desert regions, possessing a relatively intact natural ecosystem. It holds significant educational and scientific research value. Moreover, the reserve boasts abundant cultural relics, majestic mountains, rivers, and sweeping deserts, making it highly valuable for tourism development.