Aka: Chinese wildman

Places

Central and Southern China northwest Hubei province. The remote and mystical Shennongjia mountains abound in legends. Shennongjia is an area of approximately 1,250 sq. miles, comprising steep, rugged mountains mostly up to 8,000 ft with the highest peaks at 10,000 ft.

The mountains above 5,900 ft retain the temperatures of early winter even while the surrounding low lying hills swelter in July heat, giving a curious microclimate to Shennongjia that has resulted in the growth and survival of a unique and diverse fauna.

The area has become one of China's major sources of rare and exotic woods, as well as of desirable 'arrow bamboo' which makes first-quality paper and provides food for giant pandas.

The Shennongjia region is full of plants referred to as 'living fossils', including the metasequoia, the dove tree and the Chinese tulip tree, and rare animals have also been found there, a white bear, the giant panda, the takin, and the golden monkey, three varieties of which have now been identified from this region, the only part of the world where they are found.