A Guide to Common Wildlife in Nanjing includes a total of 349 species of native and non-native wildlife living in the city.

A Guide to Common Wildlife in Nanjing made its debut in Nanjing on the International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22, Modern Express reported.

The book launching event was sponsored by the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Ecological Environment, the Nanjing Association for Science and Technology, and Phoenix Science Press, one of the top STM publishers in China.

The handbook, compiled by the Nanjing Shouwang Natural Science Center, includes a total of 349 species of native and non-native wildlife living in the city, including 253 animal species and 96 plant species.

"Nanjing is home to a rich variety of wildlife and the ones in the book are rather common or well-known among residents," said Yang Guang, director of the handbook's editorial committee and vice-chairman of the Chinese Society for Zoology. He added that the book is meant to help Nanjing residents learn about the wildlife around them.

There is a picture of every species in the book, all of which were photographed by locals.

Xu Hai, vice-president of PPM and chairman of the Jiangsu Science Writers' Association, noted that the handbook showcases the city's biological diversity and the harmonious relations between humans and the natural environment. He said it should inspire readers to protect the environment.

According to Yao Jianjun, secretary of the Party committee of the publicity and education center of the Nanjing Municipal Bureau of Ecological Environment, Nanjing houses roughly 500 species of wildflower, 400 species of bird, more than 100 species of fish, over 140 species of butterfly, and seven species of firefly.