Wolong Lake scenic area

A picture of tranquility: Wolong Lake scenic area in Kangping county in Shenyang. [Photo/kangping.gov.cn]

Located in Kangping county of Shenyang, capital of Northeast China's Liaoning province, Wolong Lake is the largest plain freshwater lake in Liaoning. The Wolong Lake scenic area was listed as a national lake ecological environmental protection pilot area in 2012.

Covering an area of 127.5 square kilometers, Wolong Lake has 12 times the area of the West Lake in Hangzhou, capital city of East China's Zhejiang province.

There are 817 species of wild animals and plants in the natural reserve, among which five are national first-level protected wild animals -- white cranes, red-crowned cranes, bald-headed cranes, white storks and black storks.

It is also home to 19 species of second-level national protected wild animals, 36 species of fish and 140 species of birds.

Wolong Lake is an important stop for bird migration in eastern Asia and an important breeding ground for migratory birds in summer.

Each year, millions of birds stop over and breed there. The spectacular scenery always attracts a large number of bird watchers and photographers.

A large number of migrating birds settle in at Wolong Lake wetland in Shenyang, on March 31. [Photo by Long Lei/Xinhua]

Wolong Lake also plays an important ecological role in replenishing groundwater and regulating water ecology.

In order to protect Wolong Lake more effectively, since Nov 1, 2007, the Kangping county government implemented closure management of the lake and 24-hour patrols to crack down on illegal fishing, water releases, sand digging and grazing.

In recent years, a wetland park and more ecological projects have been built and the ecological function of the wetland of Wolong Lake has been restored.

In 2020, the Wolong Lake scenic area was selected as one of the 10 most popular tourist attractions in Shenyang.