Photo taken on March 22, 2021 shows the Qilian Mountains in northwest China's Gansu Province. (Xinhua/Du Zheyu)
LANZHOU, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Lan Jianrong is still working out lingering fears after meeting a snow leopard head-on a few days ago.
"When my wife and I were on the way back from delivering sheep to our clients last Monday, we spotted a snow leopard sitting on a mound about 100 meters from the road in Yangge Village, at the northern foot of the Qilian Mountains," said Lan. Lan is a herdsman in Sunan Yugur Autonomous County, northwest China's Gansu Province.
"Then the big cat began to move slowly towards us," he said.
"This is the second time I have met a snow leopard. It's much bigger than I thought," said the veteran herder. "They usually idle around at an altitude of about 3,000 meters, but the cat appeared at a place approximately 2,000 meters above sea level this time."
As the mammal got closer, Lan and his wife shook in their shoes and were afraid to move on. They, and a villager who arrived later, parked their motorcycles on the side of the road and lit a fire with hay.
But the roar of motorcycles and the burning flames did not scare away the animal as expected. Instead, it continued to draw near, slowly and gently, with its eyes remaining on the three. At only three or four meters away, it seemed to be ready to attack.
The three could only throw small stones at the animal out of desperation. That made it retreat many meters away, but it was still reluctant to leave.
They were stuck in the snow for nearly two hours before other villagers, who answered a call for help, picked them up in a car.
"The big cat was probably protecting its food, and the herders might step into its safety range," said Ma Duifang, an official with the administration of the Gansu section of the Qilian Mountains National Park. The park covers 50,200 square km -- 34,400 square km in Gansu and 15,800 square km in Qinghai.
"So far, there is no precedent for snow leopards attacking people in the Qilian Mountains," said Ma, who has been engaging in wildlife research in the mountains for more than a decade.
Forest rangers Feng Dejun (R) and Zhang Detuan patrol in the Qilian Mountains in Jinchang County, northwest China's Gansu Province, Jan. 15, 2020. (Xinhua/Ma Ning)
As a flagship species in the region, the geographical distribution and population of this rare leopard are among the key indicators to evaluate the local ecosystem and biodiversity, said Ma.
"The elusive creatures are rarely captured in the Gansu section of the Qilian Mountains," said the expert. "Wild animals, including snow leopards, have appeared frequently in recent years, which indicates their habitats are constantly improving."
Snow leopards are under China's highest national-level protection and are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The species mainly inhabit the Himalayas in central and southern Asia at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,500 meters.
In China, they are found in the alpine areas in southwestern and northwestern regions including Tibet, Sichuan, Xinjiang, Gansu and Inner Mongolia.
"To strengthen wildlife protection, local authorities have implemented grid management in the Qilian Mountains. With enhanced patrols and accurate satellite remote sensing, strict control of human activities, afforestation and grass planting efforts, the vegetation coverage has greatly improved in the area," Ma said.
More than 300 infrared cameras and other monitoring equipment work around the clock to help researchers get information about the population and distribution of wild animals.
"Incomplete statistics show the number of snow leopards in Qilian Mountains has now climbed to 200, and its range map has shown a trend of expanding to the north and east, and towards lower altitudes," Ma added. ■
