This is the incredible infrared footage of rare snow leopards play-fighting in the grass and climbing majestic mountain routes.
The infrared cameras, set up in the Yanchiwan National Nature Reserve in the northern Chinese province of Gansu, reportedly recorded over 60 clips of the rare animal during the second half of 2018.
Video Credit: AsiaWire/Yanchiwan National Nature Reserve
The Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently categorised the snow leopard (Panthera uncia) – a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia – as vulnerable.
They typically live at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,500 metres and it believed that around 60 percent of their total population lives in China.
Experts at the nature reserve collected the footage from 50 new infrared cameras, showing the snow leopards playing in the grass, walking alone, running in the rain and even urinating on rocks.
A reserve spokesperson said: “Based on these images, we can conclude that the area has a certain number of snow leopards, but the exact population is yet to be calculated.”
In April 2018, a snow leopard protection programme was launched by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and bosses at the nature reserve.
As part of the scheme, 50 new infrared cameras were set up in the reserve bringing the overall total to 234. The cameras span a huge area of 3,075 square kilometres (1,187 square miles).
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Story By: Lee Bullen, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: AsiaWire
