1998年12月(yue)經廣東省人(ren)民政(zheng)府批準為省級自然保護區;
2002年經廣東省人民政(zheng)府批準為(wei)副處級(ji)事業(ye)單位;
2007年(nian)4月經廣東(dong)省(sheng)(sheng)人民(min)政府批準更(geng)名為廣東(dong)曲江羅坑(keng)鱷(e)蜥(xi)省(sheng)(sheng)級自然保護區;
2013年晉升為國家級自然保護區。
廣東羅坑鱷蜥國家(jia)級自然(ran)保護區位于廣東省中北(bei)部,北(bei)緯24°36′—24°39′,東經113°13′—113°22′。
保護(hu)區內地貌復雜,四周群山環抱,中部為較平(ping)坦的盆地,最高(gao)峰船底頂海(hai)拔1587m,最低海(hai)拔約200m。
氣(qi)候屬亞熱帶(dai)季風氣(qi)候,年(nian)(nian)平均(jun)氣(qi)溫2011℃,一(yi)月平均(jun)氣(qi)溫915℃,極(ji)端最低氣(qi)溫-516℃,7月平均(jun)氣(qi)溫2819℃,極(ji)端最高氣(qi)溫3915℃,年(nian)(nian)平均(jun)降雨量1640mm。
廣東羅坑鱷蜥國家級自然保護區總(zong)面積18813.6公(gong)(gong)頃(qing),其中:核心區6904.6公(gong)(gong)頃(qing)、緩沖區4063.4公(gong)(gong)頃(qing)、實驗區7845.6公(gong)(gong)頃(qing)。
廣東羅坑鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)國(guo)家級自(zi)然保(bao)護區內(nei)森林植被(bei)茂密的環境孕育了豐富的動(dong)植物(wu)(wu)資源。保(bao)護區內(nei)有野生脊椎(zhui)動(dong)物(wu)(wu)301種,其中國(guo)家一級重點保(bao)護動(dong)物(wu)(wu)鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)等6種,二級重點保(bao)護動(dong)物(wu)(wu)33種。有39種國(guo)家重點保(bao)護動(dong)物(wu)(wu),如瑤山(shan)鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)、黃腹角雉(zhi)、豹、云豹、林麝(she)、蟒(mang)蛇、穿山(shan)甲、短尾猴、斑林貍、金貓、水鹿、鬣羚、普通鵟、三線閉殼龜(gui)和虎紋(wen)蛙(wa)等。
廣(guang)(guang)東(dong)羅坑鱷蜥國(guo)家(jia)(jia)(jia)級自然保(bao)(bao)護(hu)區國(guo)家(jia)(jia)(jia)重點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)17種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其中(zhong)(zhong)國(guo)家(jia)(jia)(jia)一級重點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)野(ye)(ye)生植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)2種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)、國(guo)家(jia)(jia)(jia)二級重點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)野(ye)(ye)生植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)15種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。野(ye)(ye)生維管植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)205科698屬(shu)1464種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),其中(zhong)(zhong)藥用植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)568種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),果(guo)類植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)88種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),觀(guan)賞植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)192種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),纖維植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)141種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),淀粉植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)38種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),芳香植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)27種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),油脂植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)102種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),飼料(liao)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)44種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),鞣類植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)65種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong),用材樹種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)共有(you)(you)218種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。在(zai)這些植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)中(zhong)(zhong),國(guo)家(jia)(jia)(jia)重點(dian)保(bao)(bao)護(hu)植(zhi)(zhi)(zhi)物(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)(wu)有(you)(you)四川蘇(su)鐵、伯樂樹、福建(jian)柏、觀(guan)光木、廣(guang)(guang)東(dong)松等17種(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)。
廣(guang)東羅坑鱷(e)蜥(xi)(xi)國家(jia)級自然保(bao)護區主要(yao)保(bao)護對(dui)象是(shi)亞熱(re)帶常綠(lv)闊葉林、珍(zhen)稀動植物(wu)及其棲息地(di)。是(shi)以保(bao)護鱷(e)蜥(xi)(xi)及其生態環(huan)境(jing)的綜合型自然保(bao)護區。鱷(e)蜥(xi)(xi)是(shi)爬行動物(wu)中(zhong)比較古老的一類,體長15—30厘米,尾長23厘米左右(you),體重(zhong)50—100克(ke),身(shen)體可以分為頭部(bu)(bu)、頸(jing)部(bu)(bu)、軀干部(bu)(bu)、四肢、尾5個部(bu)(bu)分。頭部(bu)(bu)較高(gao),頭部(bu)(bu)和體形與蜥(xi)(xi)蜴相似,頸(jing)部(bu)(bu)以下的部(bu)(bu)分,特別是(shi)側扁(bian)的尾巴,既有棱(leng)嵴(ji)狀的鱗片,又有許多黑(hei)色的寬橫紋,則又很像揚子(zi)鱷(e),所(suo)以被稱為鱷(e)蜥(xi)(xi)。
廣(guang)東羅坑鱷蜥國家級自然保(bao)護(hu)(hu)區(qu)主要保(bao)護(hu)(hu)對(dui)象的(de)典型性(xing)、稀有(you)性(xing)、瀕危性(xing)、代表性(xing)較強,在(zai)保(bao)護(hu)(hu)生物多(duo)樣性(xing)和生物資源、維持生態系統良(liang)性(xing)循環等方面(mian)具(ju)有(you)重要作(zuo)用。
中(zhong)(zhong)國一級重點保(bao)護動物鱷蜥是有“活(huo)化石”之稱的世界珍(zhen)稀物種,僅分(fen)布(bu)在中(zhong)(zhong)國廣西、廣東和越南安圖自(zi)然保(bao)護區等(deng)極少數(shu)區域中(zhong)(zhong)。盡管(guan)它與(yu)恐龍“同壽”,已逾1.9億(yi)年“高齡”,但(dan)它被人(ren)類發現僅僅有80多年歷史。
1928年(nian)(nian),有(you)生(sheng)物(wu)考察隊(dui)首次(ci)在廣(guang)西發(fa)現鱷蜥這(zhe)一物(wu)種。2002年(nian)(nian),科(ke)研人(ren)員(yuan)在韶關羅坑(keng)發(fa)現百姓們所稱的“落水(shui)狗”便是極其珍稀的鱷蜥,這(zhe)是廣(guang)東首次(ci)發(fa)現。2004年(nian)(nian),國家林(lin)業(ye)局進行了一次(ci)全國性的普查(cha),發(fa)現當時(shi)中國野(ye)生(sheng)鱷蜥僅有(you)1000條(tiao)左右,而曲江羅坑(keng)自(zi)然保護區(qu)內(nei)就(jiu)生(sheng)存著約240條(tiao)野(ye)生(sheng)鱷蜥。
羅坑保護(hu)區的鱷(e)蜥(xi)野(ye)生(sheng)種群已(yi)經壯大至約500~600條,約占全國(guo)(guo)野(ye)生(sheng)鱷(e)蜥(xi)種群數量的50%,這是中國(guo)(guo)國(guo)(guo)內已(yi)知大的鱷(e)蜥(xi)野(ye)生(sheng)種群,該保護(hu)區也已(yi)成為中國(guo)(guo)大的鱷(e)蜥(xi)野(ye)生(sheng)種群棲息地(di)。
廣東羅(luo)坑鱷(e)(e)蜥國家級自然保(bao)護區主要(yao)對野生鱷(e)(e)蜥種群的(de)分布、數量(liang)、生態習性等方面進(jin)行(xing)了廣泛研究,已連(lian)續多年(nian)人(ren)工(gong)繁(fan)(fan)育鱷(e)(e)蜥獲得成功,并(bing)于2010年(nian)成功繁(fan)(fan)育出子二(er)代(dai)鱷(e)(e)蜥。保(bao)護區已成為中國大的(de)鱷(e)(e)蜥人(ren)工(gong)飼養繁(fan)(fan)育基(ji)地(di)。
在(zai)人(ren)工繁育(yu)鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)取(qu)得(de)成(cheng)功后(hou),2009年、2012年保(bao)護(hu)區分(fen)別成(cheng)功進行了鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)野外放(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)歸(gui)活動。其中(zhong),2012年一(yi)次放(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)歸(gui)鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)達60條。從鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)放(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)歸(gui)監測情況看,放(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)歸(gui)的鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)適應性較好(hao),在(zai)棲(qi)息地(di)上能正(zheng)常(chang)生存棲(qi)息,可以說鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)放(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)歸(gui)已獲得(de)初步成(cheng)功。保(bao)護(hu)區仍在(zai)對放(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)歸(gui)的鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)繼續跟蹤監測,為人(ren)工鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)放(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)(fang)歸(gui)積累經驗,從而(er)擴(kuo)大鱷(e)(e)蜥(xi)野外種群(qun)數量,確保(bao)這(zhe)種珍稀“活化石”種群(qun)在(zai)原生地(di)的持續增長增大。