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Explore the region
About Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve
Its visitor interpretation explains the species’ return to China and the work of maintaining the population.
The deer-viewing platform allows observation from a distance, while the approved visitor circuit provides a broader view of the habitat. Treat sightings as variable and follow the reserve’s managed route. The protected wetland is not an unrestricted hiking area, and old population figures are not a guide to present numbers.
In August 1986, China's Ministry of Forestry (林业部) and the World Wildlife Fund (世界野生生物基金会) introduced 39 milu deer from seven London zoos into the reserve; by the time it was upgraded to national-level status in 1997, the herd had grown to 268 animals. The reserve was listed as a Wetland of International Importance (国际重要湿地) in 2002. In 2019 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I) (中国黄（渤）海候鸟栖息地（第一期）).
223 vascular plant species have been recorded, along with 182 bird species and 150 fish species, and 95 bird species fall under the China-Japan migratory bird protection agreement. The reserve also protects 19 other nationally protected class-one animal species, and serves as an important wintering ground for migratory birds.
What to look for
- The deer-viewing platform provides a defined place to observe milu.
- The managed habitat combines wetland, grassland and woodland.
Background & history
Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve is located in Dafeng, Jiangsu Province and near the Yellow Sea coast in eastern China, with the whole area 78000 ha, the core area 2668 ha, the buffer area 2220, and the experimental area 73112. The Geological landforms are typical coastal wetland, including tidal flats, seasonal stream and part of artificial wetland together with a lot of forest land, salt marsh, and bare land. The city of Dafeng belongs to subtropical and warm temperate zone, where thermophilic crops can grow well and influenced by the East Asian monsoon. The average annual temperature is 14.5 °C and the normal precipitation is over 750 mm per year.
Excerpt from Wikipedia: Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve · Wikipedia contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected introductory sentences; formatting simplified. Background information, not current visitor-service advice.
Location & getting there
Getting to Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve
Approach the reserve’s public visitor area at the southern end of Dafeng Forest Farm. Confirm which visitor circuit is operating before entering the protected area.
Combine your visit
A suggested sequence linking the specific features of this visit.
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Milu-history interpretation
Begin with the species’ return and conservation story.
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Deer-viewing platform
Observe the animals from the designated area.
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Approved habitat circuit
Compare the deer-viewing area with the wider wetland landscape using authorized access.
This order is editorial. Confirm access and any transfers between stops; it does not establish a walking route, same-day connection or common admission ticket.
Find Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve
大丰麋鹿国家级自然保护区 · 盐城市
The pin marks the area, not the entrance.
More places nearby
Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.
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View guide →Sources & visit information
The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.
- Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve ↗
- jsdfmlw.com.cn ↗
- Chinese Wikipedia: 江苏大丰麋鹿国家级自然保护区 (revision 88667204, 2025-08-10) ↗
Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikipedia contributors, “Dafeng Milu Nature Reserve” · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 1323186507.
Background paragraphs translated and condensed from Wikipedia contributors, "江苏大丰麋鹿国家级自然保护区", Chinese Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0. Source revision 88667204.