China has unveiled the first batch of 789 crucial terrestrial wildlife habitats recently, including 41 situated in Hubei.

These sites are mainly scattered inWuhan, Shennongjia, Enshi, Xiangyang, Yichang, Jingzhou, Xianning, Huangshi, Suizhou and other cities in the province.

The first batch of important habitats for terrestrial wildlife are classified into six categories, encompassing zones vital for the survival and reproduction of endangered species, along with areas where wildlife populations are concentrated.Spanning 31 provinces, the list covers habitats, breeding grounds, and migratory areas for 565 nationally protected wildlife species of the first and second classes, including 127 mammal species, 339 bird species, 62 amphibians and reptiles, and 37 insect species.

Hubei has characteristics of east-west and north-south transition in geography, so the amphibians here are complex and transitional. The mammals mainly inhabitin Hubei’s northwesternarea, takingShennongjia and Wudang Mountain as the corezone.

According to statistics, there are 186 species of key protected terrestrial wild animals living in Hubei, of which 44 are under first-class state protection and 142 are under second-class state protection.