As China's first island biosphere reserve, the Nanji Islands Biosphere Reserve was designated by UNESCO in 1998. Located in the southeastern waters off Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, the main island resembles a running muntjac, from which it gets its name — Nanji (with "ji" being the Chinese pinyin for muntjac).

About six times the size of Macau, over 90% of the reserve is internationally important wetlands. Its clear waters and varied shores provide ideal habitats for marine life.

To date, 2,929 species have been recorded within the reserve — 2,157 marine species and 772 terrestrial species. Among the marine life are 186 species of large benthic algae, 539 species of microalgae, and 424 species of shellfish, and more.

The Nanji Islands are home to nearly all representative shellfish species from China's northern and southern seas. Here, tropical, subtropical, and temperate species coexist in one place — earning the reserve the nickname "Kingdom of Shellfish and Algae."

From 2023 to 2025, the reserve launched efforts to restore and attract breeding populations of the Chinese crested tern. These efforts paid off—17 pairs of the legendary "mythical bird" nested here, and 8 chicks hatched and fledged, adding a new chapter to the island's conservation story.

The Dashao'ao Beach in Nanji is a rare shell beach. Its silvery glow by day and crystalline shimmer by night mirror the island itself — a quiet ecological treasure, radiant with life.