Snow leopard population in China's Qinghai surpasses global estimates

(ECNS) -- The snow leopard population in the Sanjiangyuan area of northwest China's Qinghai Province has reached about 1,002, surpassing global estimates by 10 percent, local forestry and grassland authorities announced on Wednesday.

This follows a population survey of the rare species conducted across approximately 360,000 square kilometers in the Sanjiangyuan area. Preliminary results indicate that potential snow leopard habitats cover around 110,000 square kilometers in the region.

It marks the first time China has completed a major snow leopard population assessment and represents the largest-scale survey of the species published globally.

China is home to about 60 percent of the world's snow leopard habitats, with the Sanjiangyuan area among one of the regions with the highest population density.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the global population of snow leopards is estimated at between 7,446 and 7,996 individuals.