Table 1 Description of the main free-ranging and wild areas of milu deer in China.
Site (Abbreviation) | Established | Location | Habitat | Dominant Vegetation | Temperature (average temperature) | Rainfall (average annual precipitation) | Size | Survey days | AdditionalInformation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jiangsu Dafeng Milu National Nature Reserve (Dafeng Reserve) | 1986 | Jiangsu Province, 33°05’N, 120°49’E, the shores of the Yellow Sea in eastern China | Coastal marshy wetland (forests, reeds, grass beaches, marshland, and bare-salt land) on the shores of the Yellow Sea | Phragmitesaustralis, Spartinaalterniflora, Imperatacylindrica, Amorphafruticosa, Robiniapseudoacacia, andCarex spp. | 14.1 °C | 1,068 mm | 26.67 km2 | > 456 days from 1998 to 2016 | Protected areas; milu migrate and diffuse outside the nature reserve and roam free on the Yellow Sea mudflat |
Hubei ShishouMilu National Nature Reserve(Shishou Reserve) | 1991 | 29°49’N, 112°33’E, Hubei Province in central China, middle reaches of the Yangtze River | Mostly riverine wetlands in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River | Populusnigravar.italica,Phragmitescommunis, Salix matsudana, Miscanthusfloridulus, Cynodondactylon, Leonurusartemisia, Scirpustriqueter, Scirpusyagara, and Eleocharisacicularis | 16.5 °C | 1,200 mm | 15.67km2 | > 1344 days from 1993 to 2022 | Protected areas; fenced by 1.8 m iron fence |
Yangbotan wetland in Shishou County | - | 29°30’N, 112°42’E, north shore of the Yangtze River; ca. 15 km from Shishou Reserve | Riverine wetlands in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River | 21.19 km2 | > 528 days from 1998 to 2019 | unprotected area | |||
Sanheyuan wetland in Shishou County | - | 29°44’N, 112°35’E, on the south of the Yangtze River; ca. 3 km away from Shishou Reserve | Riverine wetlands in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River | 5.39 km2 | > 528 days from 1998 to 2019 | unprotected area | |||
Hunan East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve (Dongting Reserve) | 1982 | Hunan Province (29°21’N, 112°55’E), along Dongting Lake; 100 km south ofShishou Reserve | Lake wetlands in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River | Phragmitescommunis,Polygonumhydropiper, Carex brevicuspis, andImperata cylindrica | 17.0 °C | 1,200–1,300 mm | 1,569.00 km2 | > 225 days from1998 to 2022 | Protected areas; milu migrate and diffuse outside the nature reserve andare free in the whole Dongting Lake basin |
Jiangxi Poyang Lake National Wetland Park (Poyang) | 2008 | Jiangxi Province (28°58’N, 116°33’E), along Poyang Lake | Lake wetlands in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River | Phragmitesaustralis, Triarrhenalutarioriparia, Zizanialatifolia, Carexcinerascens,Carexargyi, and Polygonumhydropiper | 17.0–17.8 °C | 1,636.4 mm | 362.85 km2 | > 120 days from 2018 to 2022 | Protected areas; milu migrate and diffuse outside the park and are free in the whole Poyang Lake basin |
