Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve [Photo by Li Bo/Zhanjiang Evening News]

The Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve ranked among "the top 10 most beautiful wetlands in Guangdong province" on Nov 6.

The selection, made by the Guangdong Wetland Protection Association, aims to raise awareness for the protection of wetlands.

The Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve covers a total area of 20,278 hectares, 7,256 hectares of which being mangrove forest. It accounts for 33 percent of the country's total mangrove forest areas and 79 percent of Guangdong's total.

It is the largest mangrove natural reserve with the most varieties and the largest density on the Chinese mainland.

The reserve made it into the Ramsar Convention (Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat)catalogue in January 2002 and became a key national biodiversity protection area and an important area for international wetlands ecosystem protection.

It was named a national monitoring point for wild animal epidemic and coastal protection forest in 2005.

The reserve aims to protect tropical mangrove forest wetlands ecosystem and biodiversity, including mangrove forest resources, nearby beaches, water resources and wild animals.

Edited by Mevlut Katik