A snow leopard is pictured in Zadoi County of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Aug. 6, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua]

The snow leopard population in Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province in northwest China, has reached 59, the provincial forestry and grassland administration said on Thursday, the World Snow Leopard Day.

The survey, based on data collected from 2023 to 2024, involved 111 ecological rangers and deployed 200 infrared cameras across the prefecture. Of these, 55 cameras captured snow leopards, yielding 298 independent detections.

Spatial mark-recapture models were used to estimate population and habitat size, said Zhang Yu, head of the administration's wildlife protection department.

Results indicated that snow leopards inhabit approximately 3,872 square kilometers in Huangnan, accounting for 21.74 percent of the prefecture's total area.

Experts emphasized that snow leopards, which are listed as a first-class protected species in China, are critical indicators of ecological balance. Zhang also said that the survey provides baseline data for future monitoring and protection efforts.