Rare snow leopards spotted in China

Beijing, October 7

An infrared camera has captured the movements of two snow leopards, which are Class A Protected Animals, in a forest farm in northwest China's Qinghai Province, according to a research team of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The footage recorded on September 4 revealed that the distribution area of snow leopard has extended to the easternmost edge of the Qilian Mountains, Lian Xinming, associate researcher of the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology of CAS said, adding that it was also the first footage of the wildlife recorded in eastern Qinghai.

Based on the footage, the snow leopards might be females.

"This suggests that there is a family group of snow leopards in this area," Lian said.

Researchers also found other endangered wildlife under national protection such as musk deer and blue eared pheasant, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Wednesday.

The snow leopard is a Class A protected animal in China and is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It mainly inhabits the Himalayas in central and southern Asia at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,500 metres. — PTI

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