Wulingyuan Scenic Area is a green treasure store and natural zoo. It lies in the Central China Botanic Region of the Sino-Japanese Botanic Zone, and was a refuge for many ancient species during the Quaternary Glacial Era. There are over 3000 species of plants, above 700 types of trees, up to 450 kinds of ornamental flowers, and about 116 species of vertebrates falling into 50 families.

In addition, hundreds of species of animals are found in Wulingyuan. Among them are rare animals such as Chinese giant salamander, Asiatic wild dog, Asiatic black bear, clouded leopard, Chinese water deer, rhesus monkeys, civets and pangolins, and some 20 rare birds such as tragopan, golden pheasant, white-headed duck and leiothrix.