Wildlife of
Guangdong Sheng

Small, localized tropical seasonal evergreen/rainforest-like communities in the far south and on more humid coastal/island sites (e.g., Leizhou Peninsula and parts of southern coastal hills), with tall evergreen broadleaf canopies and lianas where protection remains.

Very limited and fragmented; mostly in the far south and select protected pockets.

Dominant regional terrestrial biome expressed as subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest and mixed evergreen-deciduous forests on hills and mountains; much is secondary forest and shrub-woodland following logging, firewood collection, and conversion.

Broadly distributed across uplands of northern/eastern Guangdong; substantial but heavily fragmented and interspersed with agriculture/plantations.

Pearl River network (Dongjiang/East River, Beijiang/North River, Xijiang/West River influences), floodplain lakes/ponds, reservoirs, and canalized waterways in the PRD; supports fish assemblages, floodplain wetlands, and water supply reservoirs in uplands.

Widespread along river corridors and the delta; reservoirs common in hilly areas.

Deltaic marshes, riverine/floodplain wetlands, fishpond complexes, rice paddy-wetland mosaics, and coastal tidal flats; key feeding/roosting sites for migratory shorebirds and waterfowl where habitat persists.

Concentrated in the Pearl River Delta and estuaries; also along major rivers and lowland plains; much reduced/modified by reclamation and urbanization.

South China Sea coastal waters including bays and nearshore shelf habitats; supports seagrass where suitable, fisheries, and estuarine-marine gradients around the Pearl River Estuary and along the western/eastern coasts.

Along the entire Guangdong coastline; strongest nearshore influence around major bays/estuaries.

Evergreen broadleaf forests on hills and mountains (often secondary), providing watershed protection and habitat for subtropical fauna; best remnants occur in protected areas and less accessible uplands.

Small patches of more tropical, tall evergreen forest in the far south/coastal humid sites; typically highly fragmented and conservation-dependent.

Limited occurrence as mixed evergreen-deciduous stands in cooler/seasonally drier uplands and disturbed sites; often embedded within broader evergreen forest matrices.

Montane conifer stands and extensive planted conifers (e.g., masson pine plantations) in uplands; frequently part of timber/erosion-control landscapes.

Shrub-woodland and open-canopy secondary growth on degraded hillsides and around villages, reflecting repeated disturbance and regrowth cycles.

Small, mostly anthropogenic or early-successional grasslands on disturbed slopes, reservoirs margins, and some coastal dunes; not a dominant natural cover.

Widespread secondary shrublands on cutover or fire-affected hills, often transitioning toward forest where protected.

Forested mountain ranges and hill systems in northern/eastern Guangdong (watershed headwaters), with elevational gradients supporting cooler, more mixed forest types.

Karst/limestone cave systems in parts of northern Guangdong supporting bats and specialized cave biota; sensitive to disturbance and tourism.

Rocky escarpments and coastal headlands used by raptors and cliff-nesting birds in localized areas; also important for erosion control vegetation.

Large rivers and tributaries of the Pearl River system with heavily engineered reaches in the PRD; critical for connectivity, fisheries, and flood management.

Natural and artificial lakes/reservoirs (drinking-water and hydropower) in uplands; important for wintering waterbirds locally.

Dense networks of aquaculture ponds and traditional fishponds, especially in the PRD, forming semi-wetland habitat mosaics with high nutrient loads.

Riverine and floodplain wetlands, rice paddy mosaics, and remnant delta wetlands; key sites for migratory birds and nursery habitat for fish.

Fresh to brackish marshes in lowlands and delta fringes; many areas converted or embanked, with remnants in protected or less-developed zones.

Coastal mangrove belts (restored and remnant) around the Pearl River Estuary and western/eastern bays; crucial for shoreline protection and juvenile fish/crustaceans.

Pearl River Estuary and other river mouths with strong salinity gradients, mudflats, and high productivity; heavily influenced by shipping, reclamation, and pollution.

Highly modified coastline with ports, seawalls, and reclaimed land alongside remaining bays and lagoons; intense development pressure and habitat fragmentation.

Sandy beaches on parts of the coast and islands; many segments are developed for tourism or coastal infrastructure, with localized natural dune vegetation.

Rocky coasts and islands (notably along parts of eastern Guangdong) with intertidal communities and wave-exposed habitats.

Nearshore soft-bottom and mixed substrates on the continental shelf supporting benthic invertebrates and demersal fisheries; affected by trawling and coastal sediment/nutrient inputs.

Extremely dense urban-industrial land cover in the Pearl River Delta megacity region (e.g., Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Dongguan-Foshan), creating heat-island effects and highly altered hydrology.

Rapidly expanding peri-urban fringes around PRD cities and coastal hubs, with fragmented green spaces, canals, and remnant village woodlands.

Rice paddies, vegetable production, orchards, and mixed smallholder landscapes, especially in lowlands and river valleys; often interwoven with aquaculture and canals.

Extensive commercial plantations (e.g., eucalyptus, pine, and fruit orchards) in uplands and coastal plains, typically lower biodiversity than native forests but important for soil stabilization where well-managed.