14 DAY TRIAL // Conservationists working with the World Wildlife Fund estimate that, presently, around 50 Amur leopards are left in the wild.
The good news is that, judging by a series of photos taken in China's Wangqing Nature Reserve, the overall headcount for the species might be on the rise.
Thus, camera traps installed in said region have captured pictures of a mother Amur leopard walking around the forest with two cubs.
Mongabay reports that, up until 2 years ago, conservationists were not even aware that China was home to Amur leopards. Thus, it was about six decades ago when the species was last documented in the wild in this country.
By the looks of it, the country houses not just one or two such felines, but a breeding population.
Commenting on the discovery of the mother leopard and her two cubs in China's Wangqing Nature Reserve, Joe Walston with the Wildlife Conservation Society stated as follows:
“This incredible find is important for two reasons. Firstly, it shows that our current efforts are paying off but, secondly, it shows that China can no longer be considered peripheral to the fate of both wild Amur leopards and tigers.”
“With a few key decisions by the government, China could become a major sanctuary for the species," he stressed.