Construction of China?s largest safari park has kicked off in Baoertu Pasture in Heshuo County, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The park, covering about 8,670 hectares and costing a total investment of 80 million yuan (US$9.66 million), is located on the northeast bank of Bosten Lake, China?s largest inland freshwater lake.
The reason Baoertu Pasture was chosen as a safari park is that it lies in an area of desert and wetland with vast stretches of grasslands, virgin forests and marshes and boasts a habitat very suitable for wildlife.
Twelve wildlife breeding districts for the pleasure of all visitors will be highlights of the safari park, which include a beast (or dangerous cat) district; a desert ungulate park; Alton plateau desert wildlife park; a birds park; reptile museum; a birds of prey district; a wading birds district.
Director of wildlife protection administration at the Forestry Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Zhu Fude, said Baoertu Safari Park will take five years to increase the total number of animals in the park to 3,500 head. Mongolian gazelles, white-lipped deer, Siberian tigers, green peafowl are to be introduced, while animals peculiar to Xinjiang will be purchased.
It?s also planed to establish seven natural reserves in the safari park for protection of wild species of horse, Tibetan kiang (donkey), and camel, swan and beaver (Castor fiber); desert animals; diversiform-leaved poplar forests, rose willows; wetlands and low beaches and reeds.
The safari park will be connected with other scenic spots in surrounding areas, such as Golden Beach (Jinshatan) and Butterfly Valley (Hudiegu). It will also boast a hunting spot. Investors in the safari park are confident for the prospects of the park, expecting 400,000 visitors per year in the initial period and over one million after final completion.
To experts of Xinjiang, it?s also a favorite project. They believed when evaluating the program last year that the program was of great significance to natural ecological conservation, and rare and endangered animal protection and propagation, as well as to the promotion of eco-tourism and popular science education.
(China.org.cn translated by Zhang Tingting, April 21, 2003)
