Snow leopards spotted in China's panda habitat

Two rare snow leopards have been caught on camera in a nature reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

An infrared camera set up at an altitude of 4,102 meters spotted the big cats, believed to be a mother and a cub, in Wolong Nature Reserve, the park's administration said on Thursday.

The pictures, taken in January, show the leopards licking mineral substances near a cliff in the famous panda habitat.

An additional 14 cameras have now been set up in the area, according to the administration.

Snow leopards are one of China's Class A protected animals and are usually found in the Himalayan ranges of central and south Asia at altitudes between 3,000 and 5,500 meters.

The animal has rarely been seen in the wild this century due to loss of habitat and poaching. There are an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards living in the wild, in addition to around 650 in captivity worldwide. Endi