1998年12月經(jing)廣東(dong)省人民政府批(pi)準為省級自然(ran)保(bao)護區;
2002年經廣東省人(ren)民政府(fu)批準為副處級事業(ye)單位(wei);
2007年4月(yue)經廣(guang)東(dong)(dong)省(sheng)人民政府批準更名為廣(guang)東(dong)(dong)曲江(jiang)羅坑鱷蜥省(sheng)級自然保護區;
2013年晉升為(wei)國(guo)家級自然保護區。
廣(guang)東羅坑鱷蜥國家級自然保護區位于廣(guang)東省中北部,北緯24°36′—24°39′,東經113°13′—113°22′。
保護區內地貌復(fu)雜,四周群山環抱,中部(bu)為較(jiao)平坦(tan)的盆地,最高(gao)峰船底頂海拔1587m,最低海拔約200m。
氣候屬亞熱帶季風(feng)氣候,年(nian)平均(jun)氣溫(wen)(wen)(wen)2011℃,一月(yue)平均(jun)氣溫(wen)(wen)(wen)915℃,極(ji)端最(zui)低氣溫(wen)(wen)(wen)-516℃,7月(yue)平均(jun)氣溫(wen)(wen)(wen)2819℃,極(ji)端最(zui)高氣溫(wen)(wen)(wen)3915℃,年(nian)平均(jun)降雨量1640mm。
廣東羅坑鱷蜥國家級(ji)自然保(bao)護區(qu)(qu)總面積18813.6公(gong)頃,其中:核心區(qu)(qu)6904.6公(gong)頃、緩沖區(qu)(qu)4063.4公(gong)頃、實驗區(qu)(qu)7845.6公(gong)頃。
廣東羅坑鱷蜥國家(jia)(jia)級自然保(bao)(bao)護區(qu)內森林(lin)(lin)(lin)植(zhi)被茂密的環境孕(yun)育了豐富的動植(zhi)物(wu)資源。保(bao)(bao)護區(qu)內有野生脊椎動物(wu)301種(zhong)(zhong),其中(zhong)國家(jia)(jia)一級重點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護動物(wu)鱷蜥等6種(zhong)(zhong),二級重點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護動物(wu)33種(zhong)(zhong)。有39種(zhong)(zhong)國家(jia)(jia)重點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護動物(wu),如瑤山鱷蜥、黃腹角(jiao)雉、豹(bao)、云豹(bao)、林(lin)(lin)(lin)麝(she)、蟒蛇、穿山甲、短尾猴、斑(ban)林(lin)(lin)(lin)貍、金貓、水鹿、鬣(lie)羚、普通鵟、三(san)線閉殼龜和虎紋蛙等。
廣東(dong)羅坑鱷蜥(xi)國(guo)家級(ji)自然保(bao)護區國(guo)家重(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)護植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)17種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其(qi)中國(guo)家一級(ji)重(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)護野(ye)生(sheng)(sheng)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)2種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)、國(guo)家二級(ji)重(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)護野(ye)生(sheng)(sheng)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)15種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。野(ye)生(sheng)(sheng)維管植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)205科698屬1464種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其(qi)中藥用植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)568種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),果類植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)88種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),觀(guan)(guan)賞植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)192種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),纖維植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)141種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),淀(dian)粉植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)38種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),芳(fang)香植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)27種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),油脂(zhi)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)102種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),飼料植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)44種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),鞣類植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)65種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),用材樹(shu)種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)共(gong)有(you)(you)218種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。在(zai)這些植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)中,國(guo)家重(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)護植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)四川(chuan)蘇鐵、伯樂樹(shu)、福建柏、觀(guan)(guan)光(guang)木、廣東(dong)松等17種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。
廣(guang)東羅坑鱷蜥(xi)國家級(ji)自(zi)(zi)然(ran)保(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)護區主(zhu)要保(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)護對象是亞(ya)熱(re)帶常綠闊(kuo)葉林、珍稀(xi)動植物及其棲息地。是以保(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)護鱷蜥(xi)及其生態(tai)環境的(de)(de)綜(zong)合(he)型(xing)自(zi)(zi)然(ran)保(bao)(bao)(bao)(bao)護區。鱷蜥(xi)是爬行動物中(zhong)比較古老的(de)(de)一類,體(ti)(ti)長15—30厘米,尾長23厘米左右,體(ti)(ti)重(zhong)50—100克(ke),身體(ti)(ti)可(ke)以分(fen)(fen)為頭部(bu)(bu)(bu)、頸部(bu)(bu)(bu)、軀干(gan)部(bu)(bu)(bu)、四肢、尾5個部(bu)(bu)(bu)分(fen)(fen)。頭部(bu)(bu)(bu)較高,頭部(bu)(bu)(bu)和(he)體(ti)(ti)形與蜥(xi)蜴相似,頸部(bu)(bu)(bu)以下(xia)的(de)(de)部(bu)(bu)(bu)分(fen)(fen),特(te)別(bie)是側扁的(de)(de)尾巴,既有棱(leng)嵴狀(zhuang)的(de)(de)鱗片,又有許多黑色的(de)(de)寬橫紋(wen),則又很像揚子鱷,所以被稱(cheng)為鱷蜥(xi)。
廣東羅坑鱷蜥(xi)國家級自然保(bao)護(hu)區主(zhu)要保(bao)護(hu)對象的(de)典型性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、稀有性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、瀕危性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)、代表性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)較強,在保(bao)護(hu)生物多樣性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)和生物資(zi)源、維持生態系統良(liang)性(xing)(xing)(xing)(xing)循環等(deng)方面(mian)具有重要作用。
中(zhong)國一級(ji)重點保護動物(wu)鱷蜥是有(you)“活化石(shi)”之(zhi)稱的世界(jie)珍稀(xi)物(wu)種,僅(jin)(jin)分布(bu)在中(zhong)國廣西、廣東和越南安圖自然保護區(qu)等極少數區(qu)域中(zhong)。盡(jin)管(guan)它與(yu)恐龍“同壽”,已逾1.9億年“高齡(ling)”,但它被人類發現僅(jin)(jin)僅(jin)(jin)有(you)80多年歷史(shi)。
1928年(nian),有生物(wu)考察隊(dui)首次在廣(guang)西發(fa)(fa)現(xian)鱷蜥這一(yi)物(wu)種(zhong)。2002年(nian),科(ke)研人員在韶關羅(luo)坑發(fa)(fa)現(xian)百(bai)姓們(men)所稱的(de)(de)“落(luo)水狗”便是(shi)極(ji)其(qi)珍(zhen)稀(xi)的(de)(de)鱷蜥,這是(shi)廣(guang)東首次發(fa)(fa)現(xian)。2004年(nian),國家林業局進行了一(yi)次全(quan)國性(xing)的(de)(de)普查,發(fa)(fa)現(xian)當時中國野(ye)生鱷蜥僅(jin)有1000條左右,而曲(qu)江羅(luo)坑自然保護區內就生存著約(yue)240條野(ye)生鱷蜥。
羅(luo)坑保護區的(de)鱷蜥野(ye)(ye)(ye)生(sheng)種群(qun)(qun)(qun)(qun)已(yi)經壯大(da)(da)至約500~600條,約占全(quan)國(guo)野(ye)(ye)(ye)生(sheng)鱷蜥種群(qun)(qun)(qun)(qun)數量的(de)50%,這是中(zhong)國(guo)國(guo)內已(yi)知大(da)(da)的(de)鱷蜥野(ye)(ye)(ye)生(sheng)種群(qun)(qun)(qun)(qun),該保護區也已(yi)成為(wei)中(zhong)國(guo)大(da)(da)的(de)鱷蜥野(ye)(ye)(ye)生(sheng)種群(qun)(qun)(qun)(qun)棲息地。
廣(guang)東羅(luo)坑(keng)鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)國(guo)家級自然保(bao)護(hu)區(qu)主要對野生鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)種群的分布(bu)、數(shu)量(liang)、生態習性等方面進行(xing)了廣(guang)泛研究,已連續多年(nian)人(ren)工(gong)繁(fan)(fan)(fan)育鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)獲得成功,并于2010年(nian)成功繁(fan)(fan)(fan)育出(chu)子二代鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)。保(bao)護(hu)區(qu)已成為中國(guo)大(da)的鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)人(ren)工(gong)飼(si)養(yang)繁(fan)(fan)(fan)育基地。
在(zai)人工繁育鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)取得成功(gong)后(hou),2009年、2012年保(bao)護區分別成功(gong)進行了鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)野外(wai)放(fang)歸(gui)(gui)活動。其(qi)中,2012年一次放(fang)歸(gui)(gui)鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)達60條。從(cong)(cong)鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)放(fang)歸(gui)(gui)監測情況(kuang)看,放(fang)歸(gui)(gui)的鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)適應性較好,在(zai)棲(qi)息(xi)地(di)(di)上能正常生存棲(qi)息(xi),可(ke)以說鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)放(fang)歸(gui)(gui)已獲得初步(bu)成功(gong)。保(bao)護區仍在(zai)對放(fang)歸(gui)(gui)的鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)繼續(xu)跟(gen)蹤監測,為人工鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)放(fang)歸(gui)(gui)積累經驗,從(cong)(cong)而擴大(da)鱷(e)(e)(e)(e)蜥(xi)野外(wai)種群(qun)數量,確保(bao)這種珍稀“活化石”種群(qun)在(zai)原生地(di)(di)的持續(xu)增長增大(da)。