The Chinese alligator (Alligator sinensis) is one of the world’s most endangered crocodilian. Thorbjarnarson (1999) reported that the wild population is less than 200 individuals with annual decreasing rate of 4-6%.

The largest population size in one site only consists of 10-11 individuals (total 4 sites) and usually only one of them is female. Most colonies consist of 2-5 individuals.

The wild population has been brought to the brink of extinction by habitat loss and
human population pressures on its wetlands habitats in the lower and middle Yangtze River valley.

However, the Chinese alligator is a good candidate for reintroduction because wild
populations are approaching extinction but a large captive population exists.

To ensure the species does not become extinct in the wild, the State Forestry Administration (SFA) of China issued “China Action Plan for Conservation and Introduction of Chinese Alligator” (2002) in the International Workshop on Conservation and Reintroduction of Chinese Alligator, Hefei, China, 2001.

Meanwhile, the alligator was also listed as the one of 15 species of National Wildlife Conservation Project in 2001. Since then, China Government paid more attention to the protection and management of the wild populations and their habitats, as well as speed up the process of releasing project.