China Achieves World's Largest Number of Snow Leopard Individual Identification
Breaking News (February 21st) In the source of the Lancang River, in the county of Xado, Yuzhu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, researchers used infrared cameras to identify 40 individual snow leopards, which is the largest number of individual snow leopards identified worldwide to date.
Snow leopards are often referred to as 'barometers of the health of high-altitude ecosystems' and their distribution area spans 12 countries including China and Kazakhstan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Mongolia and Bulgaria. In 1996, China's 'Red Book on Endangered Animals' listed it as an endangered species. Currently, China is the largest country in the world with snow leopard distribution, covering 60% of its habitat.
The photograph is an infrared camera shot of a snow leopard's activity photo. Provided by the original Shangcas Natural Protection Center in Qinghai Province.
'Snow leopard individual identification is not suitable for facial features, but relies on the patterns on the snow leopard's fur. When observing and differentiating, the snow leopard's body is usually divided into several areas, and the patterns in each area are observed. If 3 or more areas have the same pattern, it can be identified as the same snow leopard'', Zhao Xiang, director of the Sanjiang Source Nature Protection Center, introduced.
It is understood that the source of the Lancang River in Qinghai Province, Yuzhu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Xado County is one of the highest snow leopard density areas known in China, and is known as 'China's Snow Leopard Kingdom'. Researchers, with the support of local government, set up more than 300 infrared cameras in Onse Township, and handed over the cameras to trained herder monitors.
Ms. Xiang Ying, a staff member of the Sanjiang Source Nature Protection Center, introduced that after the survey in the entire Onse Township, 80 infrared cameras were set up, and more than 300,000 infrared camera photos were monitored. Through individual identification analysis, 40 individual snow leopards were identified here.
Dr. Lü Zhili, founder of the Sanjiang Source Nature Protection Center and Professor at Peking University, said: 'Currently, identifying so many individuals in a region like this (China) is the first time from a density perspective, with 2 to 4 snow leopards per 100 square kilometers.' (Author Luo Yunpeng, Editor Wang Qiang)
