BEIJING, May 22 (Xinhua) — The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) released an updated national species database, the Catalogue of Life China 2023 Annual Checklist, on Monday, International Day for Biological Diversity.
The list recorded a total of 148,674 species and sub-species, 10,381 more than the 2022 figure.
Such checklists are basic data reflecting the richness of biodiversity resources in a country or region, said Ma Keping, deputy director of the CAS Biodiversity Committee. China’s list aims to show the conditions of biodiversity in the country and promote biodiversity research and protection.
The compilation began in 2008. China is the only country that publishes a list of its biological species every year.