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Great
Canyon of Yarlung Zangbo Nature Reserve |
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The
Yarlung Zangbo Canyon slept soundly
for millions of years. No one knows
it is a global most.
Another
bend of the Yarlung Zanbbo Canyon -
looking
at the Great Canyon from
Zhuba
In the early of 1994, Chinese scientists
found by accident that the Yarlung Zangbo
Canyon, which cuts through the Himalayas,
has an average depth of 5000 meters
with the maximum depth of 5382 meters;
from Pai to Baxika, the total length
of the canyon is 496.3 kilometers. A
series of figures made the scientists
go wild with joy. The figures meant
a new most of the world was born. Yarlung
Zangbo Canyon is the new world champion!
Interlinked
bends - a glance at the Canyon
Analyzing from the internal agent condition
that forms the great canyon, we can
just say that the Yarlung Zangbo Canyon
has no rivals. Yarlung Zangbo River
locates in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,
which is still in strong periodical
rising; the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is
the youngest plateau that rises the
most rapidly on earth. It has an average
elevation of over 4500 meters. With
the strong erosion and cutting of tremendous
amount of water along the weakest part
of the shell, it's sure that the deepest
canyon wll be formed in this part of
the world. The average elevation of
the Colorado plateau in west America
is no more than 3000 meters; Peru Plateau
is even lower; moreover, they are only
cut and eroded by rivers in dryer environments,
the canyons thus formed there are sure
to be much smaller than the Yarlung
Zangbo Canyon, no matter in depth or
in their continuous length.
Distant
view of Mount Jialabailei and Namjagbarwa
at the entrance to the Great
Canyon
The geological and atmospheric research
show that the mental plume in the Yarlung
Zangbo Bend rises strongly and forms
the strongest "thermal eddy"
on earth. The average rising for this
part within the recent 15 years is 30
mm per year; and it is one of the areas
that rise the most quickly on earth.
Such internal agent conditions can be
found with neither Colorado Canyon of
America nor the Keerka Canyon of Peru.
The effect of the underground lava in
Colorado expresses by overflowing to
the ground surface, which forms the
basalt intercalation in Colorado. The
annual rising in that place is no more
than 6-15 mm; the effect of underground
lava expresses in the form of volcano
eruption in Keerka Canyon of Peru and
it forms volcanic rock mountains in
one side of the Keerka Canyon. In general,
the huge press effect and thermal effect
of the underground mantal plume with
rotational shear movement are the strongest
with the Yarlung Zangbo Cangyon. They
act on each other with the outer crust
of the earth and it's sure that they
will form the largest and the most magnificent
canyon in the world.
Landscape
in the downstream of the Garlung Zangbo
River
This State-grade nature reserve consists
of Nyilha Zangbo River Valley Nature
Reserve, Deyang Gully Reserve Spot for
Takins and the Burjun Nature Reserve
for Tropical Rain Forest, with the aim
of protecting the complete comprehensive
natural ecological system. The water
surface at the lower reaches of the
Yarlung Zangbo River in this reserve
is only several hundred meters above
sea level, but other places within 40
kilometers from it can form a drop of
several thousand meters with it. As
a result, in a relatively short distance,
natural scenery and species range from
tropical to frigid, forming a great
treasure trove of genes of various species.
It contains almost all vegetation types
from the frigid zone in the North Pole
to the tropical zone in Hainan, the
southernmost province of China. No people
live on the reserve, although the locals
hunt, but many cliffs and rapids in
the reserve have formed natural obstacles
against human attempts to enter. Besides,
there are special administrative offices
on the edge of the reserve, so the primitive
conditions are intact.
The Great
Yarlung Zangbo Canyon under the blue
sky and white clouds
The Nyela Zangbo River Valley is the
major part of the Great Yalung Zangbo
Canyon Nature Reserve, containing many
species, special geological structures
and traces of ancient glaciers. It has
intact natural vegetation in primitive
conditions. The complicated natural
conditions have resulted in rich flora
resources, including many rare species.
In recent years, new species have been
continuously found. The higher plants
already found number 3,000, accounting
for over half of all the species of
plants all over Tibet. There are 21
rare plants under special State protection,
and over 40 plants up to the "model
standard" are named after Medog.
The dense forest in the reserve is a
paradise for wild animals, which range
from tropical to frigid species. Some
of them are rare species peculiar to
this area.
The
Great Yalung Zangbo River
According to a rough estimate, over
40 species are rare animals under State
protection. The reserve is called "natural
zoo." The Burjun Lake Nature Reserve
is located 30 kilometers south of the
Nyelha Zangbo River Valley Nature Reserve,
covering an area of over 100 hectares.
The surrounding mountains are not steep.
The lake is like a brilliant gem inlaid
in the tropical evergreen latifoliate
forest. The jade green lake water and
the mountains add radiance and beauty
to each other, forming a charming scene.
Because of the lake, this place is humid
all year, with tropical and subtropical
plants growing luxuriantly on mountains
slopes, and wild animals moving about.
Throughout the year, monkeys' cries
and birds' chirping are heard. There
is a great variety of birds, among which
is the toucan with a brown neck, a tropical
bird under first-grade State protection.
This is also the place where, it is
said, the Abominable Snowman used to
haunt.
Distant
view of Mount Jialabailei from dense
forests
The Deyang Gully Nature Reserve for
takins is located 50 kilometers south
of the Nyelha Zangbo River Valley Nature
Reserve, with the Nugong River running
through it from north to southeast.
Its eastern and western bounds are the
outer sides of the planking mountain
ridges. In winter, most of the places
higher than 4,000 meters above sea level
are covered with thick snow. On the
eastern and western sides, ice and snow
sliding down from the mountains form
"ice walls." The only pass,
at the northeast corner by the Yarlung
Zangbo River, forms a natural hopper.
This reserve is a haven for takins.
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