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close| Location | China (mainland), Qinghai |
| Central coordinates | 100o 6.00' East 33o 22.00' North |
| IBA criteria | A1, A4i, A4iii |
| Area | 15,230,000 ha |
| Altitude | 3,168 - 5,338m |
| Year of IBA assessment | 2009 |
Site description Sanjiangyuan means the origin of three rivers, namely the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang (Mekong) rivers. It is a very large, high-altitude nature reserve that neighbours Sichuan Province and Tibet Autonomous Region. The natural habitats range from montane forest in the lower eastern part of the reserve to cold alpine grassland and desert in the higher western part of the reserve. Longbaotan National Nature Reserve includes montane wetlands comprising lakes and marshes, and is a breeding area of Grus nigricollis and used by other waterbirds during the migration seasons.
Populations of IBA trigger species
| Species | Season | Period | Population estimate | Quality of estimate | IBA Criteria | IUCN Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Monal Lophophorus lhuysii | resident | 2008 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
| Pallas's Fish-eagle Haliaeetus leucoryphus | unknown | 2008 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
| Greater Spotted Eagle Aquila clanga | unknown | 2008 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
| Eastern Imperial Eagle Aquila heliaca | unknown | 2008 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
| Black-necked Crane Grus nigricollis | breeding | 1997 | 92 individuals | unknown | A1, A4i | Vulnerable |
| Sichuan Jay Perisoreus internigrans | resident | 2008 | present [units unknown] | - | A1 | Vulnerable |
| A4iii Species group - waterbirds | unknown | 2008 | present [units unknown] | - | A4iii |
Protected areas
| Protected area | Designation | Area (ha) | Relationship with IBA | Overlap with IBA (ha) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanjiangyuan | Nature Reserve | 15,230,000 | is identical to site | 15,230,000 |
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Other biodiversity A total of 2,238 species of vascular plants have been identified in the area, including many with high herbal medicine values. Protected mammal species including Tibetan Antelope, Wild Yak, Kiang (Tibetan Wild Ass), Snow Leopard, Leopard, Brown Bear, Marco Polo’s Sheep, Musk Deer and Giant Salamander.
Conservation response Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve (15,230,000 ha) was established in 2000. It includes Longbaotan National Nature Reserve (10,000 ha) which was established in 1987, mainly for the protection of Grus nigricollis and its breeding habitat. Ngoring Hu (Eling Lake) and Gyaring Hu (Zhaling Lake), which lie inside the IBA, were designated in 2004 as ‘Wetlands of International Importance’ (or Ramsar sites) under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
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Recommended citation BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Sanjiangyuan Nature Reserve. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/05/2013
To provide new information to update this factsheet or to correct any errors, please email BirdLife
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