Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, March 3 (by Hu Lu) Today is the seventh World Wildlife Day. Reporters learned from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration that in recent years, China has systematically implemented endangered species conservation projects, and the populations of endangered wild animals and plants have generally risen steadily. Giant pandas, golden eagles, Asian elephants and Tibetan antelope have reversed the continuous decline, and Depeis iron, Huagai wood, Baishan Zuo cold pine have stabilized growth.

According to the relevant person in charge of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, through strengthening the protection of wild animal habitats and breeding, cracking down on the illegal trade of wild animals and ivory products, establishing a sound legal system, and building a wild animal outbreak and disease proactive warning and monitoring system, China's protection of endangered wild animals is constantly being strengthened.

Currently, the number of giant panda artificial breeding populations has reached 600, which strongly supports the recovery and reproduction of wild populations. The number of wild giant pandas has risen from 1114 in the 1980s to 1864; the number of Asian elephants has increased from 180 to nearly 300; the protection level of Tibetan antelope has been downgraded from 'endangered' to 'near threatened', and the population has increased from less than 75,000 to more than 300,000; golden eagles have increased from the original 7 to more than 4000 in the wild population and artificial breeding population.

At the same time, measures such as in-situ protection, ex-situ protection, and returning to nature are continuously implemented to protect rare and endangered wild plants. A total of 11,800 natural protection areas have been established across the country, providing wild plants with the natural environment they need to survive, and about 65% of China's key protected wild plants and small populations of wild plants are protected. Through rescue protection of nearly 100 small populations of rare and endangered wild plants such as Depeis iron, Huagai wood, Baishan Zuo cold pine, Tiantai Yuerli and Pudong Yuerli, the populations of some endangered species have gradually recovered. Currently, China has established nearly 200 botanical gardens at all levels, collecting and preserving 20,000 species, accounting for 2/3 of China's plant families, and has basically completed the collection and preservation of Suishen, palm and key Orchid and Lilium families originating from China.