安徽(hui)揚子鱷國家級(ji)自然保(bao)護區，是中國較大的(de)揚子鱷保(bao)護基(ji)地，以揚子鱷及其棲息地為主(zhu)要保(bao)護對象。這里既(ji)是一(yi)片保(bao)護區和科研基(ji)地，也是一(yi)處風景優美的(de)旅游觀光勝地，以自然風光為基(ji)調，以揚子鱷為龍(long)頭(tou)景點(dian)，集多種珍稀動(dong)物為觀賞主(zhu)體，對揚子鱷保(bao)護和繁殖(zhi)也起到了非常重要的(de)作用。
保護(hu)區(qu)由(you)朱村片(pian)(pian)、高井廟片(pian)(pian)、楊林(lin)片(pian)(pian)、紅星片(pian)(pian)、夏渡片(pian)(pian)、雙坑(keng)片(pian)(pian)、中橋片(pian)(pian)、長(chang)樂(le)(le)片(pian)(pian)8個(ge)片(pian)(pian)區(qu)構成，以中國鱷魚湖(hu)為主要游覽地點，開辟了熊池(chi)、猴島、鹿(lu)園(yuan)、竹(zhu)樓、跑馬場、垂釣區(qu)、鱷魚表演、兒童樂(le)(le)園(yuan)等20多個(ge)景點。
滬渝高速公路從(cong)宣(xuan)城西/南陵/涇縣/宣(xuan)城市開發區出口離開，沿寶(bao)城路→水陽江南大道→X011即可。
安(an)徽揚子鱷(e)國家級自(zi)然保護區地(di)理坐標(biao)為：東經118°30′-119°35′，北(bei)緯30°18′-31°18′。
保護(hu)區濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)地(di)(di)(di)處長江(jiang)下游丘陵平原水(shui)網區，為皖南(nan)山區向長江(jiang)沿岸(an)平原的過渡地(di)(di)(di)帶，海拔20～200米，包括河流濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)、湖泊(bo)濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)、沼澤濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)等(deng)濕(shi)地(di)(di)(di)類型，主要(yao)由青戈(ge)江(jiang)、水(shui)陽江(jiang)、漳河、南(nan)漪湖等(deng)水(shui)體及(ji)周(zhou)邊沼澤灘地(di)(di)(di)組(zu)成。
保(bao)護(hu)區屬北亞熱帶濕(shi)潤(run)(run)和(he)暖溫(wen)帶半溫(wen)潤(run)(run)季風氣候(hou)，年均氣溫(wen)15.9℃，年均降水量約1294毫(hao)米，年均相(xiang)對濕(shi)度28%，年均無霜期229天。
保護區(qu)內南漪湖為宣城市(shi)內的天(tian)然湖泊，分為東西(xi)二湖，湖面面積(ji)約為100平方(fang)千(qian)米，水(shui)位為8.5米時，總蓄水(shui)量為3.5億(yi)立方(fang)米，入(ru)湖水(shui)流(liu)發源于(yu)南面山區(qu)，出水(shui)經水(shui)陽江(jiang)向北(bei)流(liu)入(ru)長江(jiang)。
保護區土壤類型以紅土壤、水(shui)稻(dao)土、黃棕壤等為(wei)主(zhu)。
1979年(nian)1月，經安(an)徽(hui)省政府批準在(zai)原宣城縣南郊創建“安(an)徽(hui)省揚子鱷(e)養殖場”。
1982年6月，安徽省政府(fu)批準成立(li)安徽省揚子鱷(e)自然保護(hu)區。
1986年，保護區(qu)(qu)升級(ji)為國(guo)家(jia)級(ji)自(zi)然保護區(qu)(qu)，更(geng)名為“安徽揚子鱷國(guo)家(jia)級(ji)自(zi)然保護區(qu)(qu)”。
保(bao)(bao)護(hu)(hu)區(qu)(qu)內有(you)(you)(you)(you)國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)級重(zhong)(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)(hu)植物(wu)7種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)級重(zhong)(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)(hu)動物(wu)30種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，真菌116種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。有(you)(you)(you)(you)野(ye)生植物(wu)776種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，其中(zhong)蕨類(lei)植物(wu)28種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)、裸子(zi)植物(wu)12種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)、被子(zi)植物(wu)736種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)一級重(zhong)(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)(hu)植物(wu)有(you)(you)(you)(you)2種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，包(bao)括(kuo)水杉(shan)、銀杏；國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)二級重(zhong)(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)(hu)植物(wu)有(you)(you)(you)(you)5種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，包(bao)括(kuo)香樟等。作為揚(yang)子(zi)鱷洞穴(xue)隱蔽及營(ying)巢用的(de)植物(wu)有(you)(you)(you)(you)44種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。有(you)(you)(you)(you)野(ye)生脊椎動物(wu)340種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，其中(zhong)魚類(lei)有(you)(you)(you)(you)54種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，兩棲類(lei)有(you)(you)(you)(you)24種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，爬行類(lei)有(you)(you)(you)(you)50種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，鳥類(lei)有(you)(you)(you)(you)176種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，獸類(lei)有(you)(you)(you)(you)36種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。此(ci)外，還有(you)(you)(you)(you)昆蟲類(lei)470種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)一級重(zhong)(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)(hu)動物(wu)有(you)(you)(you)(you)4種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，包(bao)括(kuo)揚(yang)子(zi)鱷、云(yun)豹、黑麂和(he)梅(mei)花鹿(lu)；國(guo)(guo)家(jia)(jia)二級重(zhong)(zhong)點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)(hu)動物(wu)有(you)(you)(you)(you)26種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)，包(bao)括(kuo)虎(hu)紋(wen)蛙、鴛鴦、白鷴、勺(shao)雞、穿山甲、小靈貓等。保(bao)(bao)護(hu)(hu)區(qu)(qu)為野(ye)生揚(yang)子(zi)鱷主要分布(bu)區(qu)(qu)之一，有(you)(you)(you)(you)揚(yang)子(zi)鱷分布(bu)的(de)池(chi)塘(tang)面積約0.41平方(fang)千米，分布(bu)有(you)(you)(you)(you)揚(yang)子(zi)鱷約150條。
保護區(qu)(qu)內植被以(yi)(yi)亞熱帶常綠闊葉林為主(zhu)(zhu)，其中丘(qiu)陵地區(qu)(qu)植被以(yi)(yi)灌(guan)草叢為主(zhu)(zhu)。人工營造經濟林主(zhu)(zhu)要有馬尾松(song)(song)、國外松(song)(song)、杉木、茶樹及毛竹、油桐(tong)等樹種。
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