A wild Chinese pangolin, a first-class protected species in China, was recently rescued after straying into a factory area in Yun'an, Yunfu, Guangdong Province. Thanks to the joint efforts of a concerned resident, local police and forestry authorities, the animal was safely transferred to the provincial wildlife monitoring and rescue center. The species is also listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Chinese pangolins are highly sensitive to habitat conditions. Its appearance in Yun'an is seen locally as a sign of the area's improving ecological environment.
Yun'an has recorded a growing number of rare species in recent years. In 2025, during the field hockey competition of China's 15th National Games, flocks of egrets and Australian stilts were spotted in Baiyun Village, Liudu Town. Egrets are widely considered an environmental indicator species because of their high requirements for air and water quality.
By the end of 2025, Yun'an District had 70,240 hectares of forest, with forest coverage rising to 66.44 percent, 13 percentage points higher than the provincial average.
To date, Yun'an has recorded more than 600 plant species and over 210 species of wild animals.
Author | Jiang Chang
Photo | Nanfang Plus
