Tourists take selfies at the tropical flowers and plants garden in Xishuangbanna, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 16, 2025. (Photo by Li Yunsheng/Xinhua)
KUNMING, May 22 (Xinhua) -- China unveiled its first digital platform dedicated to tropical biodiversity on International Biodiversity Day on Thursday, offering global access to over 90,000 verified species records.
The "Xishuangbanna biodiversity platform," developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, is now globally accessible. The platform showcases the region's rich ecological heritage.
Xishuangbanna, home to one of China's most intact tropical ecosystems, hosts one sixth of the country's plant species and a quarter of its animal species. The new platform features over 90,000 verified records covering 15,622 species, including 5,236 animals, 9,779 plants, and 607 fungi.
"Only expert-validated observations receive 'authoritative' or 'research-grade' labels before being added to the platform, ensuring scientific rigor," said Zhu Renbin, a senior engineer with the botanical garden.
Co-released by the Xishuangbanna ecology and environment bureau, the platform plans to integrate AI-powered species recognition and educational tools to bridge research, conservation, and public engagement.
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