XISHUANGBANNA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, first established in 1958, is located within the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Yunnan Province, and is home to the largest and most intact tropical rainforest ecosystem in China.

Up to now, a total of 838 wild animal species have been recorded in the reserve, including 40 species under first-class national protection and 143 species under second-class national protection. 116 key state-protected plant species have also been documented, among which 6 are under first-class national protection and 110 under second-class national protection. Rare wild fauna and flora including Asian elephants and Parashorea chinensis thrive here, collectively forming the rich and unique living landscape of the tropical rainforest.

For many years, local authorities have continued to consolidate the ecological protection barrier, reinforce the protection, restoration and monitoring of the rainforest ecosystem, and devote great efforts to protecting all types of rare wild species.

Statistics show that the forest coverage rate of the reserve has risen from 88.9 percent in 1983 to 97 percent at present, and the wild Asian elephant population has increased from about 170 in the 1980s to more than 300 now.