Xinhua News Agency, Xining, Qinghai Province, February 13th (Reporter Luo Yunpeng) In the source of the Lancang River, in the Zado County, Qinghai Province, Tibet Autonomous Region, scientific 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 are distributed across 12 countries including China and Kazakhstan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Mongolia. It was listed as an endangered species in China’s ‘Red Book of Endangered Animals’ in 1996. Currently, China is the largest distribution country of snow leopards, covering 60% of its habitat.

‘Snow leopard individual identification is not suitable for facial features, but relies on the markings on the snow leopards’ bodies. When observing and identifying, the snow leopard’s body is usually divided into several areas and observed separately.’ Zhao Xiang, Director of the Sanjiangyuan Natural Protection Center, introduced on February 13th that if three or more areas of markings are the same, it can be identified as the same snow leopard.

It is understood that the snow leopards in the source of the Lancang River, Zado County, Qinghai Province, Tibet Autonomous Region, China, is one of the areas with the highest snow leopard density, and is known as ‘China’s Snow Leopard Kingdom’. Scientific researchers, with the support of local authorities, set up more than 300 infrared cameras in the Ansai Township of Brose.

Ms. Xiang Ying, a worker at the Sanjiangyuan Natural Protection Center, introduced that after surveying the entire area of Ansai Township, more than 30,000 infrared camera photos were monitored, and through individual identification analysis, 40 individual snow leopards were identified.

Dr. Lü Zhili, founder of the Sanjiangyuan Natural Protection Center and Professor at Peking University, said: ‘Currently, identifying so many individuals in a region is the first time (in China) that from a density perspective, there are 2 to 4 snow leopards per 100 square kilometers.’