For conservation of the typical vertical spectrum of natural mountain landscape in the Hengduan Mountains and soil and water at the upper reaches of the Jinshajiang River, the Baima Snow Mountain Nature Reserve, covering an area of 190,000 hectares. was established in 1983 on the slopes of the Baima i Snow Mountain and Renzhi Snow Mountain along the Jinshajiang River in Deqin County. Yunnan Province.

The Reserve is called "an oasis on high mountains".
In the Reserve, there are 20peaks of more than 5.000 meters above sea level. among which the highest is the Baima (White Horse) Snow Mountain towering 5.430 meters above sea level.

Varying as the altitude rises, the climate of the Reserve features xerothermic river valley and high frigid mountains. Its vertical spectrum of natural mountain landscape is very clear; each belt has different features. With a variety of biotic species, the Reserve is an ideal habitat of the Guizhou golden monkey. There are 47 species of usual mammals, 45 species of birds, and some animals peculiar to the Hengduan Mountains. such as lesser panda and green—tailed monal. as well as other rare wild animals at higher altitudes, such as snow leopard, white - eared pheasant, horse musk deer.etc.

With vast virgin forests, complete natural ecosystem and ideal habitats for wild animals, the Reserve has an important scientific value in multidisciplinary researches of natural ecology, forestry, zoology, botany, geology, hydrology, pedology and meteorology.