Guo Zhihong, an official at the Liupan Mountain nature reserve bureau in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region, has been busy lately, collecting photos and videos of leopards roaming in the mountains.

High-tech automatic infrared cameras strategically placed in locations believed to be frequently visited by the elusive cats capture the images by skillfully tracking their footprints.

"Leopards are the most beautiful animals I have ever seen. Every time I get a picture of one, I can hardly contain my excitement," says the 43-year-old Guo, who has worked at the nature reserve for 24 years.

There are few leopards on Liupan Mountain, with an estimated population in the area of only approximately 30. As an endangered species, this breed of leopard, known as the North China Leopard, is under first-class national protection in China.

Guo and his colleagues are currently working with a team from the School of Life Sciences, Fudan University in Shanghai, as well as a scientific education institution in Chongqing, on a research project aimed at better protection for the cats.

"We have so far identified 21 individual leopards. Each of them has different streak patterns, which serve as their identification cards," says Wang Fang, a researcher at the School of Life Sciences, Fudan University.

Videos of the leopards showed that males patrolled their territories regularly while marking their presence by applying a distinctive musk to the surrounding objects to establish clear boundaries. Female leopards held their cubs gently in their mouths as they moved around the area. Some leopard cubs were seen playing in the snow.

"All this video footage shows that the leopards are not migrating. Instead, they have chosen to establish a stable breeding population in the area," Wang says.

Situated on the fringes of the North China Leopard's population distribution area, Liupan Mountain holds immense significance for these magnificent creatures, as in the face of climate change and intensive human activities, this mountainous region provides a vital refuge. With the restoration of the surrounding ecology, Liupan Mountain will become a key channel for the leopard population to expand, according to Wang.

"As an apex carnivore, the leopard is an iconic part of an intact and healthy ecosystem, as it requires a large number of herbivores to support its survival," says Song Dazhao, a researcher from Chongqing, adding that the return of leopards to a given location is an important sign of ecological improvement.

With forest coverage exceeding 66 percent, compared with 27 percent in the 1950s, Liupan Mountain stands out as a remarkable testament to Ningxia's determined efforts to restore barren lands through reforestation.

Xinhua

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