HAIKOU, July 6 -- A comprehensive survey and monitoring project of China's largest tropical rainforest on the southern island of Hainan has been launched, the first of its kind since the establishment of the national park in 2021.

According to a preliminary reconnaissance, the tropical rainforest area in the park has reached 426,900 hectares, accounting for 12.1 percent of the total land area of the tropical province.

Hainan boasts the country's largest expanse of primeval rainforest, which is home to many rare and endangered species including Hainan gibbons, known as the world's rarest primates.

According to the survey, the forest coverage rate in the park is as high as 95.86 percent.

The comprehensive monitoring project is expected to be completed by the end of this year. As part of this project, an analysis of the diversity of biological species in the park will be conducted in order to provide support for the protection and restoration of the tropical rainforest.

Tang Shouzheng, an academician with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointed out that the monitoring project would introduce new technologies and data analysis to assist in the building of the national park.