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West China

Wild leopard spotted in Chinese nature reserve

2021-02-19 09:22:56

XI'AN, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- An infrared camera has captured photos and videos of a wild leopard in a nature reserve in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

The administration bureau of the Changqing National Nature Reserve said its staff, while going over recent information collected by the reserve's infrared cameras, found images and footage of the leopard taken by one of its cameras on Dec. 7 last year.

The camera was installed in a deciduous broad-leaved forest at an altitude of 1,180 meters.

Experts with the reserve said it is the seventh time that wild leopards have been spotted in the reserve since infrared cameras were set up in 2008. It is also the first time that the big cat has been discovered in the reserve's low-altitude areas, as the animal was spotted in places at altitudes of more than 1,900 meters the previous six times.

The experts said the leopard may have followed its herbivore prey to the low-altitude areas as the latter migrated downhill for more food resources during the winter.

The leopard sightings in multiple locations in the reserve show their population is steadily growing thanks to the region's conservation efforts, according to the experts. Enditem

Editor:Jiang Yiwei