A viper lies in wait for prey along a riverbank at Qianjiangyuan National Forest Park in Zhejiang province on July 4, 2025. [Photo/IC]

Zhejiang province released the results of its biodiversity survey on Sept 24 at a side event of the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves in Hangzhou.

The survey found 6,606 species of higher plants, including 1,398 endemic to China. It recorded 25 species of wild plants under first-class national protection and 151 species under second-class protection, with 29 species classified as critically endangered.

A total of 4,663 terrestrial animal species were documented, among them 68 endemic species. These include 115 mammals, 59 amphibians, 82 reptiles, 567 birds, and 3,840 insects. The list also covers 168 species of nationally protected wild animals and 17 critically endangered species.

The survey identified 198 freshwater fish species, including 69 endemic to China, with three species under national protection and three critically endangered. In addition, 121 marine fish species and 332 other aquatic species were recorded. For macrofungi, 1,714 species were documented, 85 of them endemic to China.

The province launched the biodiversity survey in 2020, covering 29 key areas and gradually extending to all counties. The project is now nearly complete. About 50 professional teams, including researchers from Zhejiang University, took part, supported by nearly 200 million yuan (about $28 million) in provincial funding.

The survey used methods such as transect lines, fixed-point and quadrat surveys, as well as AI-powered monitoring tools. Teams conducted more than 25,500 transect surveys, set up over 6,000 quadrats and 8,200 survey points, and deployed infrared cameras more than 4,700 times. More than 4,700 technical personnel participated in the effort.