Yunnan Release | The upcoming release of the catalog featuring nationally important wetlands, with the inclusion of Erhai Lake in Dali, Yunnan!

  On October 25, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration disclosed the catalog of nationally important wetlands. Among the recognized sites are Qianhu Mountain in Shangri-La City, Yunnan Province, Jianhu Lake in Jianchuan County, Yunnan Province, and Erhai Lake in Dali City, Yunnan Province.

The specifics of this public announcement are outlined below:

Wetlands, often referred to as the "kidneys of the earth," constitute ecosystems teeming with biodiversity and stand as crucial living environments for humanity.

Erhai, designated as a National Important Wetland in Dali City, Yunnan Province

Distribution range

Extending from the east to the west of Huanhu East Road (from Haichaohe Village to Xiahe Village), west to the east of the ecological isolation belt (from Xingsheng Bridge to Shaping Village), south to Erhe South Road and Binhai Avenue (from Xiahe Village to Xingsheng Bridge), and north to the south of Huanhu East Road (from Shaping Village to Haichaohe Village) There are 870 wetland patches in total.

Main protected objects

(1) The distinctive plateau-faulted freshwater lake wetland ecosystem;

(2) Rare and endangered species and wintering migratory bird habitats represented by Cyprinus Daliensis, Ottelia Acuminata and other endemic species in China.

  Erhai Lake, the second-largest plateau freshwater lake in Yunnan, rests on the border between the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and Hengduan Mountains. This lake is a prime example of a typical plateau-faulted lake formation found in southwest China.

The Erhai Wetland, spanning 252 square kilometers, is a representative plateau-faulted freshwater lake ecosystem. It harbors rare and endangered species, such as Cyprinus Daliensis, Ottelia Acuminata, and other endemic Chinese species, and serves as a habitat for wintering migratory birds. Erhai Lake's water quality generally falls within Class III, fluctuating between Class II and Class III, with an overall positive condition. Notably, in 2021 and 2022, the water quality was excellent, consistently meeting Class II standards.

  The Erhai Basin safeguards comprehensive sedimentary records of Quaternary glacier activity, offering a benchmark for studying the patterns of Quaternary glacier activity and global climate change. The endemic fish, wetland animals, and plants documented in the Erhai Lake wetland are of immense significance for understanding the impact of plateau-faulted lakes on species evolution.