Futou Mountain Nature Reserve

　　    Futou Mountain Nature Reserve is located in the eastern part of Changjiang, Hainan Province, about 20 kilometers from Shilu Town, the county seat. It is a national key nature reserve and a fascinating tourist destination.

　　    Futou Mountain stands over 1,200 meters above sea level. With a mild climate, abundant rainfall, and dense forests, it provides an ideal living environment for flora and fauna. In addition to growing precious tree species such as podocarpus imbricatus, dacrycarpus imbricatus, keteleeria fortunei, michelia balansae, and rosewood, it also hosts a wealth of valuable medicinal plants including alpinia oxyphylla, ganoderma lucidum, kaempferia galanga, honeysuckle, and paris polyphylla. There is also an abundance of ornamental plants, with over 70 species of elegant and fragrant orchids alone, along with numerous wild oil-bearing plants. The mountains are covered with a variety of wild fruit trees that serve as staple food for wildlife, such as breadfruit, wild pomegranate, mangosteen, olive, lychee, mango, banana, and peacock flower. The forest here has multiple layers and a complex structure, with an abundance of large vines and epiphytic plants that intertwine and climb, resembling an “aerial garden.”

　　    The reserve offers a tranquil environment, abundant wild fruits, and lush water plants, making it a paradise for wildlife. It is home to a variety of rare and precious wild animals, including gibbons, clouded leopards, black bears, sambar deer, pangolins, giant squirrels, cuckoos, hill mynas, mynas, parrots, magpies, and sunbirds, earning it the reputation of a “species reservoir for wildlife.”

　　    Many species of flora and fauna in Futou Mountain Nature Reserve hold high ornamental and research value. As a result, both tourists and researchers—both domestic and international, including scholars and experts—visit the reserve year-round, contributing to its growing vibrancy and liveliness.