Sanqingshan World Geopark is located in the eastern part of central subtropical China. Its zoogeographical zoning belongs to the eastern hilly plain subregion of the Central China region within the Oriental and Indo-Asian realms. Due to its complex mountainous climate and habitat, with a 90.1% forest coverage rate and stable ecological environment, it provides excellent habitat and breeding conditions for various animal species. Some Palearctic species have infiltrated this area, forming faunological features dominated by Oriental species while also containing Palearctic elements. According to surveys, about 70% of the species belonging to the Oriental realm are amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, while about 30% are species that evolved from the Palearctic infiltration; The insect fauna is extremely complex, with the main types being the Indo-Malayan and Indo-Malayan and Indo-Malayan Huaxi communities of the Oriental realm. Currently, the park records 1,728 species of birds, mammals, insects, amphibians, and reptiles, including 54 nationally protected wild animals.
Sanqing Mountain has recorded 401 species of vertebrates, belonging to 5 classes, 32 orders, and 104 families, including 36 species of fish, 23 species of amphibians, 49 species of reptiles, 226 species of birds, and 67 species of mammals. A total of 1,327 insect species have been identified, belonging to 15 orders, 127 families, and 882 genera, and three new species have been discovered: Exothotettix jiangxiensis Liang et Jia sp. Sinopodisma sanqingshana Liang et Jia sp.nov.), Agraphydrus longipalpus Jia sp. nov.）。
The park includes eight species of nationally protected first-class wild animals: clouded leopard, leopard, pangolin, black muntjac, white-necked long-tailed pheasant, yellow-bellied horned pheasant, Chinese merganser, and golden-spotted swallowtail. National second-class key protected wild animals include 47 species such as macaques, Tibetan macaques, dholes, black bears, yellow-throated martens, otters, large civets, lesser civets, golden cats, muntjac, Chinese serows, tufted deer, mandarin ducks, and tiger-striped frogs; Common "Three Haves" (terrestrial wild animals with important ecological, scientific, and social value as defined by the Wildlife Protection Law) include: musk deer, civet, wild boar, squirrel, wild rabbit, sparrow, pheasant (only wild populations), spiny-breasted frog, cauliflower snake, etc.
Among the vertebrates and insects of Sanqing Mountain, 21 species are listed as Near Threatened or above on the IUCN Red List of Species: clouded leopard, leopard, black muntjac, rhesus monkey, Tibetan macaque, pangolin, dhole, black bear, golden cat, muntjac, Chinese serow, nesting rat, porcupine, yellow-bellied horned pheasant, white-necked long-tailed pheasant, gray-headed lapwing, peacebird, white-throated forest flycatcher, flat-chested turtle, turtle, and soft-shelled turtle.
Introduction to rare animals of Sanqing Mountain
