FONDATION IRIS
Wild Wonders of China is an initiative which seeks to bring you the wild side of China, with fascinating wildlife and spectacular places that most people don’t even know exist. It is supported by Fondation Iris.
WILD WONDERS OF CHINA
TAIWAN
2019
Taiwan yuhina, Yuhina brunneiceps, among cherry blossoms. Also known as Formosan yuhina. Endemic. Alishan National Scenic Area, Taiwan
Taiwan Collared bush robin or Johnstone's robin (Tarsiger johnstoniae). Endemic. Hehuanshan, Taroko National Park, Taiwan
Taiwan or Formosan sika deer (Cervus nippon taiouanus). Endemic. Kenting National Park, Taiwan
Taiwan yuhina, Yuhina brunneiceps, among cherry blossoms. Also known as Formosan yuhina. Endemic. Alishan National Scenic Area, Taiwan
Taiwan
SICHUAN & YUNNAN
2019
Giant Panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, Chengdu Panda Breeding Centre, Sichuan, China. Captive
Black-and-white snub-nosed monkey, Rhinopithecus bieti, also known as the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, Ta Cheng Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China
Red-headed Trogon, Harpactes erythrocephalus, Tongbiguan Nature Reserve, Dehong, Yunnan, China
Giant Panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, Chengdu Panda Breeding Centre, Sichuan, China. Captive
Sichuan
XINJIANG & GANSU
2019
Danxia type of eroded desert clay layers, shaped by wind, rain and snow, Kalamaili National Nature Reserve, Xinjiang
Drift sand dunes in the Gobi desert outside Dunhuang in Gansu
Bactrian camel, male, Camelus bactrianus, a feral animal living in the wild, but owned by a camel herdsman, often of Kazakh ethinicity. Kalamaili Nature *Reserve, Xinjiang
Danxia type of eroded desert clay layers, shaped by wind, rain and snow, Kalamaili National Nature Reserve, Xinjiang
Gobi desert, Yardang National Geopark, Gansu province
Kalamaili Nature Reserve, Xinjiang
QINGHA
2019
Asian Wild Ass, or Kiang, Equus kiang, Keke Xili or Hoh Xil nature reserve, at 4200 m asl. Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai, China
Snow leopard, Panthera uncia, Angsai nature reserve, "Valley of the Cats", Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai, China
Blue sheep, Ovis nahoor, adult male, Angsai nature reserve, "Valley of the Cats", Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve, Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai, China
Asian Wild Ass, or Kiang, Equus kiang, Keke Xili or Hoh Xil nature reserve, at 4200 m asl. Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai, China
Tibetan Plateau, Qinghai
SICHUAN
2019
Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, Rhinopithecus roxellana, hanging and holding on with its hands to a branch, Foping Nature Reserve, Shaanxi, China
The Skywalker hoolock gibbon or Gaoligong hoolock gibbon, Hoolock tianxing, Gaoligong Mountains National Nature Reserve, Yunnan Province, China
Emperor newt, Tylototriton shanjing, is also called Mandarin newt or Mandarin salamander (in Chinese 红瘰疣螈), Gaoligong Mountains National Nature Reserve, Yunnan Province, China.
Golden Snub-nosed Monkey, Rhinopithecus roxellana, hanging and holding on with its hands to a branch, Foping Nature Reserve, Shaanxi, China
Sichuan
TAIWAN
2018
Buzzard bird and honey bees. Oriental or Crested honey buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus, Chayi, Taiwan
Osprey catching fish, Pandion haliaetus, Bi Tan Bay, Taiwan
Crested Serpent Eagle fly. Crested Serpent Eagle, young bird, Spilornis cheela, Yangmingshan National Park, Taiwan
Buzzard bird and honey bees. Oriental or Crested honey buzzard, Pernis ptilorhynchus, Chayi, Taiwan
Taiwan
OCEANIC TAIWAN
2018
Juvenile flying fish, Cypselurus sp, family Exocoetidae, Longdong, Northeast, Taiwan. Longdong (Dragon Cave) is the largest bay on the Northeast Coast and the bay host an abundant marine life.
Weedy scorpionfish, Rhinopias frondosa, or popeyed scorpionfish, Longdong, Northeast, Taiwan. One out of the six mysterious Rhinopia-species. Rhinopias are highly sought after by aquarists who collect rare and unusual species so the price is high in the aquarium trade with the highest export to Japan.
Yellow-edged moray, Gymnothorax flavimarginatus, Green Island, Taiwan. This moray eel was recently identified as natural predator of the lionfish Pterois miles in its native habitat in the Red Sea.
Juvenile flying fish, Cypselurus sp, family Exocoetidae, Longdong, Northeast, Taiwan. Longdong (Dragon Cave) is the largest bay on the Northeast Coast and the bay host an abundant marine life.
Taiwan is a spectacular island with a chilly northern coastline, islands in the east bathing in clear blue water, a dynamic peninsula in the south
BIRDS OF SICHUAN
2018
Red-billed Blue Magpie, Urocissa erythroryncha, flying, Yangxian Biosphere Reserve, Shaanxi, China
Male Golden pheasant, Chrysolophus pictus, photographed while jumping in Yangxian Biosphere Reserve, Shaanxi, China
Wreathed hornbill, Rhyticeros undulatus, or bar-pouched wreathed hornbill,similar to the plain-pouched hornbill, but the wreathed hornbill can be recognized by the dark bar on the lower throat. Dehong Prefecture is located in western Yunnan province bordering Burma, People's Republic of China.
Red-billed Blue Magpie, Urocissa erythroryncha, flying, Yangxian Biosphere Reserve, Shaanxi, China
Sichuan
HUBEI
2018
Staffan Widstrand/Wild Wonders of China
Staffan Widstrand/Wild Wonders of China
Staffan Widstrand/Wild Wonders of China
Staffan Widstrand/Wild Wonders of China
National Nature Reserve, Shishou, Hubei
East Lake Greenway park, Wuhan, Hubei
OCEANIC TAIWAN
TAIWAN - DECEMBER 2017
vert plat mission Taiwan
Three weeks capturing Taiwan’s dynamic ocean: Taiwan is a spectacular island with a chilly northern coastline, islands in the east bathing in clear blue water, a dynamic peninsula in the south and Taiwan’s turtle island, Xiao Liuqiu, on the west side where sea turtles are so numerous.
MEILI & BAIMA SNOW MOUNTAIN NATURE RESERVES
YUNNAN - OCTOBER 2017
The Three Parallel Rivers Region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, located in northwestern Yunnan Province in China. With widely varying temperatures and rainfalls, and with elevations ranging from 1000 up to the 6740 meters Mount Kawagebo, it may be the most biologically diverse temperate region on the planet. It is home to many endemic species of animals, birds and plants. It is the very epicenter of rhododendron and azalea development, and it is also geologically diverse, with karst, sandstone, and granite formations all occurring here. The region is home to charismatic wildlife such as snow-leopard, clouded leopard, tibetan brown bear, otter, takin, muntjac and many more. The world’s highest-dwelling non-human primate, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, lives there as well as several other very local primates. It is, simply put, a treasure of himalayan biodiversity.
YANGXIAN NATURE RESERVE
SHAANXI - SEPTEMBER 2017
The Taibaishan area, of almost 1000 sq km, is number 11 of the original “Minor Dongtian’s” from 400-500 AD, all then officially protected by the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty in 725 AD. Dongtians, or “Cave Heavens”, are de facto nature reserves from early Taoist times, and this has been a protected area since almost 1600 years. The Dongtian system of ancient nature reserves, with in all 157 "Cave Heavens" is one of the main reasons that wonderful animals like the Great panda and the Golden snub-nosed monkey survived into our times and were not all killed hundreds of years ago. This is the by far oldest of all protected area networks in the world. The Golden snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is now increasing in numbers in large part of its distribution area, thanks to modern chinese nature conservation actions. One of Chinas wildlife comeback species!
TONGBIGUAN NATURE RESERVE
DEHONG, YUNNAN - APRIL 2017
Dehong prefecture is the “Biodiversity Hotspot” of China, where the himalayan, central chinese, and indo-malayan species all meet. The area near the Myanmar border holds some of the more intact rainforests in the region, a biosphere reserve known in chinese as Tongbiguan. It is home to myriad species of wildlife, including gibbons, other rare monkeys, and giant squirrels. It is also part of the area that birders refer to as the "Golden triangle of birding," and several endemic species of birds can be found here. The flagship species are without doubt the three hornbill-species (Great, Wreathed and Oriental pied hornbill) and the difficult to find pheasant species (Kalij pheasant, Grey peacock pheasant, and Jungle fowl).
TAIGA FOREST
HEILONGJIANG - JULY 2016
Heilongjiang is a province in the Northeast of China, bordering to Russian Siberia, with vast tracts of boreal forest. Here the great Northern Boreal forest belt, or the Taiga, reaches its southeastern limit. The Taiga then stretches from here all the way west to Scandinavia and northeast to Vladivostok.