Shennongjia prefecture

The Shennongjia prefecture, in the west of Hubei province and to the south of the Qinling mountains, has some of the richest mixed temperate broadleaf forests in the world. In autumn, the trees turn to gold, enhanced by the yellow of larches and the deep red of beeches. The nature reserve was formerly a timber production farm and the most accessible forests have been cut. But some primary forests remain at highest altitude or in steep valleys and around the tall limestone pinnacles, where mists constantly swirl and shroud the landscape. These pinnacles halt the flow of moisture to the west but the winds soon lift the clouds over the ridges of Shennongjia to send them on to the higher peaks of Qinling and Min. The conifer zones of the upper levels of the reserve are carpeted by dense bamboo thickets and in some areas, where fires have destroyed the sheltering forest canopy, there are open areas of pure bamboo. Outside the reserve, broadleaf forests stretch away in extensive rolling hills. Oaks and beeches predominate but chestnuts, maples, larches and even some subtropical species such as Lindera occur. These forests are the easternmost limit of Golden Monkeys, which live in large groups, moving through the subalpine conifer zone for most of the year but coming down into the deciduous forests in winter. Giant Pandas are now extinct in Shennongjia but other important wildlife includes Black Bear, Leopard, Serow and such temperate species as foxes and badgers. The reserve is proud of the strange abundance of albino forms that have been recorded here, including pheasants, Golden Monkeys and even a pinkeyed, white Black Bear. Most extraordinary, however, are the stories and signs of the Hubei wild man a type of yeti that supposedly lives in these mountains. Hairs, dung and footprints of this ’abominable snowman’ can be seen in the reserve museum and the Chinese government has set up a cash reward for anyone who can provide conclusive proof of the existence of this highly doubtful creature.