Notably, the wetlands serve as a crucial stopover and wintering grounds for over 100 species and millions of migratory waterbirds. The basin is also home to rare animals like the Chinese sturgeon, finless porpoise, and Yangtze alligator, as well as rare plants including the Chinese fir, dawn redwood, and dove tree, making it a major concentration of China's rare and endangered wildlife.

Hubei, boasting the longest stretch of the Yangtze River's shoreline, has consistently taken on the political responsibility of high-standard ecological protection. During the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), the province strengthened coordinated ecological governance and deepened joint prevention and control efforts across 19 key river basins.

To date, it has completed the remediation of 12,462 discharge outlets into the Yangtze River, effectively boosting the diversity, stability, and sustainability of the river's ecosystem.