Welcome to Huguangyan — the X-Files of China's Natural History

By Av Kristoffer Hell

Published: https://newsvoice.se/2024/10/leiqiong-global-geopark/

ChatGPT, (C) 2024 Kristoffer Hell

Approx 252 words

In southeastern China, about a 20-minute drive from the former pirate haven, now the port city of Zhanjiang, lies the nearly perfectly circular crater lake Huguangyan, almost two kilometers across and 20 meters deep. According to legend, a dragon rests at the lake’s bottom, controlling the weather and natural forces in the region.

Huguangyan and its surrounding nature are often referred to as a living museum of natural history and are a popular destination for families.

Geologists and other scientists also flock to the lake. Huguangyan is one of the world’s most scientifically significant maars, a geological term for a crater lake formed within a once-active volcano. Thanks to its pristine condition, it is considered a living geographical archive. The surrounding flat terrain confirms the lake’s age, estimated at between 140,000 and 160,000 years.

In 1992, UNESCO listed Huguangyan and the surrounding region, Leigong Geopark, as a World Heritage Site.

Leigong Geopark, spanning nearly forty square kilometers, includes Huguangyan crater lake, as well as Dongpo Hill, Naozhou Island, Yingfeng Hill, Lighthouse Cape, and a botanical garden dedicated to subtropical flora.

Sources: