Zhenbao Island
46°29′08″N 133°50′40″E / 46.48556°N 133.84444°E
Designations | |
---|---|
Official name | Heilongjiang Zhenbaodao Wetland National Nature Reserve |
Designated | 1 September 2011 |
Reference no. | 1978[1] |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8b/%E4%BB%8E%E9%AB%98%E5%A4%84%E4%BF%AF%E8%A7%86%E7%8F%8D%E5%AE%9D%E5%B2%9B_-_panoramio.jpg/220px-%E4%BB%8E%E9%AB%98%E5%A4%84%E4%BF%AF%E8%A7%86%E7%8F%8D%E5%AE%9D%E5%B2%9B_-_panoramio.jpg)
Zhenbao Island (simplified Chinese: 珍宝岛; traditional Chinese: 珍寶島; pinyin: Zhēnbǎo dǎo; lit. 'Rare Treasure Island') or Damansky Island (Russian: о́стров Дама́нский, ostrov Damanskiy) is a small island measuring 0.74 square kilometres (0.29 sq mi). It is located on the Ussuri River on the border between Primorsky Krai of Russia and Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China (PRC).
Prior to 1991, the island was part of Russia. It got its Russian name from railway engineer Stanislav Damansky who died here in an incident in 1888 while charting the future route for Trans-Siberian railway.
Conflict over the island between USSR & China
It was the subject of a territorial dispute between the Soviet Union and the PRC. Battles were fought over Zhenbao Island by the Soviet Union and the PRC, with a considerable loss of life, during the Sino-Soviet border conflict of March 1969. The conflict over Zhenbao raised concerns that it could ignite another World War until an initial resolution of the conflict in November 1969.
On 19 May 1991, the two sides came to an agreement that Zhenbao Island was part of the territory of the PRC; the Soviet troops withdrew.
A 2004 Russian documentary film, Damansky Island Year 1969. ("Остров Даманский. 1969 год"), was made about the 1969 Zhenbao incident.
Nature Reserve
It has been registered as a Ramsar site Heilongjiang Zhenbaodao Wetland National Nature Reserve (黑龙江珍宝岛湿地国家级自然保护区), protecting its biodiversity in a consequence of a creation of a involuntary park. It is an important habitat for variety of smaller to mid-sized mammals and birds such as siberian roe deer, snow hare, wild boar, black bear[2], leopard cat, weasel, squirrel, European badger, ring-necked pheasant, and white spoonbill.[3][4] There have been sightings of siberian tigers.[5]
References
- ^ "Heilongjiang Zhenbaodao Wetland National Nature Reserve". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
- ^ http://www.hlj.gov.cn/ztzl/system/2016/08/01/010784921.shtml
- ^ https://3g.163.com/local/article/E1K5SQKH04238DSJ.html
- ^ http://www.shidi.org/sf_5D6D59E54E504C7DAB088289DA7E777C_151_hljsd.html
- ^ http://xinhua-rss.zhongguowangshi.com/13694/-8805452798912140522/2569461.html