Wildlife of
Zhejiang Sheng

Main biome: subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest and mixed evergreen-deciduous forests on hills and mountains. Many areas are broken by villages, farms, and terraces but remain in protected uplands like Tianmu Shan and Yandang Shan.

Widespread across interior hills/mountains; largest natural/semi-natural cover in western and southern Zhejiang.

Very humid montane and coastal-orographic forest with frequent fog and high rainfall, including lush broadleaf stands with rich understory in higher, wetter ranges (cloud-forest-like conditions in places).

Patchy, mainly in wetter mountain zones of southwest/south and windward slopes.

Large river basins (Qiantang, Ou, Yong, Cao'e) with reservoirs and lakes supporting riparian corridors, floodplain wetlands, and freshwater fisheries; includes major impoundments such as Qiandao Lake and numerous irrigation networks in plains.

Province-wide along river valleys and lowland water networks; concentrated in major basins and reservoir landscapes.

Estuarine and coastal wetlands dominated by tidal flats, reedbeds, brackish marshes, and reclaimed polders, especially around Hangzhou Bay and major river mouths; important for migratory waterbirds on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.

Primarily along Hangzhou Bay, river estuaries, and low-lying coastal plains; much reduced/fragmented by reclamation and development.

East China Sea coastal and shelf waters with strong estuarine influence, productive fisheries, and complex island/embayment coastlines; habitats include nearshore reefs/rocky substrates, sandy bays, and subtidal seabed communities around the Zhoushan Islands.

Along the entire coastline and around archipelagos; broad continental-shelf waters offshore.

Evergreen broadleaf and mixed forests in hilly/montane interiors; strong conservation value in reserves such as Tianmu Shan and parts of Yandang Shan.

Mixed broadleaf components (often secondary) in cooler/high-elevation or disturbed sites, intergrading with evergreen forests.

Pine- and fir-dominated stands (often planted/managed), including Masson pine and mixed conifer-broadleaf belts in uplands.

Patchy low-elevation woodlands and secondary growth around agricultural mosaics and village landscapes.

Shrub/early-successional vegetation on disturbed slopes, rocky hills, and post-harvest/managed uplands.

Rugged ranges and steep valleys (e.g., Tianmu, Yandang and southwestern highlands) creating strong elevational gradients and refugia for native biodiversity.

Coastal and inland rock faces (notably in scenic mountain areas like Yandang) supporting specialized cliff flora and nesting sites.

Localized karst-like caves and rock shelters in limestone areas, supporting bats and cave-adapted invertebrates (not province-dominant but present).

Major river systems (Qiantang and others) with engineered banks in cities but more natural riparian reaches upstream; includes notable tidal-bore dynamics in the Qiantang estuary.

Natural and artificial lakes/reservoirs such as West Lake (highly managed urban lake) and Qiandao Lake (large reservoir with island habitats and extensive shoreline).

Dense network of aquaculture ponds and farm ponds on plains and coastal lowlands.

Freshwater floodplain wetlands, reedbeds, and coastal wetland remnants; many areas are managed/reclaimed but still ecologically significant.

Brackish and freshwater marshes around estuaries and lowland river margins, including reed-dominated patches in coastal plains.

Large estuarine systems around Hangzhou Bay and other river mouths with salinity gradients, mudflats, and nursery habitat for fish/crustaceans.

Highly indented coastline with bays, capes, and extensive island systems (Zhoushan), mixing sandy and rocky shores and sheltered coves.

Sandy beaches occur in pockets along the coast and on islands, often heavily used for tourism and coastal infrastructure.

Common around headlands and the Zhoushan Archipelago; supports intertidal zonation communities and nearshore reef-associated fauna.

Nearshore-to-shelf waters of the East China Sea used by migratory fish and marine mammals; productivity influenced by river inputs and currents.

Limited representation (mostly shelf and upper-slope contexts rather than true abyssal environments) but included offshore beyond the coastal shelf break.

Soft-sediment continental-shelf seabed and localized rocky substrates; important for benthic invertebrates and demersal fisheries.

Extensive rice paddies, rapeseed fields, vegetable production, and orchard/tea landscapes across plains and valleys; strong irrigation footprint.

Tea plantations (notably Longjing/West Lake area and broader uplands), bamboo plantations, and managed timber stands in hills.

Large urbanized areas (Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing) with high habitat fragmentation but also urban lakes/parks.

Expanding peri-urban belts with mixed land use, industrial parks, and remnant wetlands/woodlots along river corridors.

Generally marginal at this latitude; if present, occurs as very small, localized plantings or remnants in the warmest sheltered southern coastal sites rather than extensive natural mangrove forests.