Large Herd of Wild Camels Frequently Appears in the Dunhuang West Lake Nature Reserve

People's Daily - Gansu Channel, recently, through infrared cameras, researchers from the Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve Administration captured videos and photos of a large herd of wild camels passing through the areas of Tuheluo and Tianqiuqun. From the footage, you can see that this herd of wild camels has a robust physique, glossy fur, and approximately 35 peaks, which is the largest individual number of wild camels recorded since the establishment of the protection zone.

From the red-eye camera monitoring in the protection zone, researchers also discovered photos and videos of the national second-level protected animal, the desert cat, in the area of Yushuquan north of the Suolu River for the first time. The desert cat is the only cat species native to China, and is currently listed as endangered by the World Wildlife Fund. At the same time, other monitoring red-eye cameras captured various wild animals such as golden eagles, goose-throated sandgrouse, lynx, fennec foxes, hedgehogs, etc.

This monitoring data collection provides detailed information for the West Lake Protection Zone Administration to take strict prohibition measures, strengthen wildlife control, and also provides a scientific basis for the rescue of rare and endangered wild animals and biodiversity research.

The Dunhuang West Lake National Nature Reserve is located at the western end of the Hexi Corridor, along the eastern edge of the Kumtag Desert, between the East Aljin Mountains and the North Mountains, with a total area of 660,000 hectares. It is a highly typical inland wetland ecosystem, desert ecosystem and desert wild plant and animal protection composite type nature reserve, and is an important 'habitat' for Przewalski's horses and wild camels.