As of 2025, 23 native amphibian species from two orders and eight families have been recorded in Shenzhen. On a trail less than 2 kilometers long in the forests of Maluan Mountain in Pingshan District, 16 of these species can be found. Surveyors have recorded as many as 14 amphibian species in a single night. 

The area is also rich in reptiles, including the Chinese gecko, Indian forest skink, white-lipped pit viper and many-banded krait. Infrared cameras nearby have also captured images of the rare three-striped box turtle. Threatened by illegal capture and trade, the species is now seldom seen in the wild in Shenzhen. Its presence highlights the ecological value of the area’s stream habitats.

Amphibians and reptiles on Maluan Mountain in Pingshan District. Photos by Wang Jian and Zeng Zhaochi

Maluan Mountain’s rich nocturnal biodiversity can be attributed to its favorable climate, abundant rainfall, varied habitats, complex terrain and robust conservation measures.

The area has a subtropical monsoon climate, with warm temperatures and abundant moisture that favor amphibians and reptiles. Located in southern Pingshan near the coast, Maluan Mountain’s low hills intercept warm, moist air from the southeast, bringing more rainfall than the district average. During the rainy season from May to September, steady precipitation sustains streams and temporary pools, maintaining high humidity and providing ample breeding sites.

The mountain’s low hills are covered in subtropical evergreen broadleaf forest. Nearly 20 perennial and seasonal streams, Shenzhen’s largest cluster of natural waterfalls, and numerous ponds and reservoirs form a network of forest, stream, waterfall, pond and reservoir habitats that is rare in the city. 

This water-rich, varied terrain provides a range of microhabitats for breeding. The forest’s interconnected food web also supplies frogs with abundant insects and small invertebrates, while frogs serve as prey for snakes and other reptiles.

A glance at the picturesque Maluan Mountain. Photo by Chen Peitao

Pingshan has included Maluan Mountain Country Park within the city’s basic ecological control line, helping to preserve contiguous native forest and natural stream habitats while strictly controlling water pollution. The park’s management center conducts regular patrols, cracks down on illegal wildlife capture, restricts vehicle access and closes undeveloped streams to minimize human disturbance.

Since 2022, Pingshan has conducted annual biodiversity surveys to map amphibian and reptile populations and guide targeted microhabitat restoration. Measures include establishing a micro-ecological protection site for Hong Kong warty newts along the Birdwood’s Mucuna Trail.

Pingshan’s district-wide nature education system, the Linking Plan and the Shenzhen Natural History Museum offer regular public programs on wildlife protection, leave-no-trace principles and ecological conservation. Together, these efforts foster a conservation model that combines government management with public participation.

A micro-ecological protection site for Hong Kong warty newts on Maluan Mountain.