Snow leopard spotted in northwest China

An infrared camera has captured the night movements of a snow leopard in a national nature reserve of northwest China's Gansu Province.

The reserve's management authority said Monday the footage was recorded by the camera installed around 4,200 meters above sea level in Gahai-Zecha National Nature Reserve and was retrieved recently. It is the first time a snow leopard was captured by cameras in the reserve.

"It is rare to see a snow leopard in this region. The discovery really means a lot, which proves that the reserve is ecologically healthy and rich in species," said Zhang Lixun of Lanzhou University, a member of the facility's wildlife survey team.

A total of 34 infrared cameras had been set up by the reserve since May 2018 to monitor wild animals.

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 meters.