The 6,300-kilometre-long Yangtze, or ‘Chang Jiang’ (meaning ‘long river’ in Chinese), is the longest river in Asia and holds 40 percent of China’s freshwater. Millions of people and a host of unique wildlife, from the ancient sturgeon to the reclusive giant panda, depend on the Yangtze for life.
What makes it unique
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Giant panda
Originating in the Tibetan Plateau, the Yangtze runs through 19 provinces, nourishing the Yangtze River Basin before emptying into the East China Sea. Only in the highland forests in its upper reaches can you find the beloved giant panda. Apart from the giant panda, the Yangtze River Basin supports a dazzling variety of animal species, many on the brink of extinction. The red panda, Chinese alligator, Chinese giant salamander, Yangtze sturgeon, golden monkey and many others share the habitat of the giant panda. Endearing and most loved of the bears, the giant panda is an umbrella species – the conservation of the forest home of the giant panda also benefits the other species that share its habitat.
Sturgeon
Comparison with fossils from over 200 million years ago show that the sturgeon has remained basically unchanged since. These 'living dinosaurs' are closely related to the paddlefish (the Yangtze is home to the Chinese paddlefish as well but it has not been sighted since 2003 and is possibly extinct).
The sturgeon uses sensitive whisker-like barbels at the end of its toothless mouth to locate food. Look out for our sturgeons feeding at the bottom of the exhibit.
The sturgeon uses sensitive whisker-like barbels at the end of its toothless mouth to locate food. Look out for our sturgeons feeding at the bottom of the exhibit.
