China's snow leopard population doubles

China's snow leopard population has doubled to about 5,000 since systematic conservation efforts began in 2013, with the species' habitat expanding to approximately 2.08 million square kilometers, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration said on Thursday.

The figure means China now accounts for more than 60 percent of the global snow leopard habitat, the administration said in a media release on Friday, which coincided with the International Snow Leopard Day.

China is also home to the world's largest snow leopard distribution area and the biggest population of the species, the release said.

Known as the "king of the mountains", the snow leopard is a national first-class protected animal, as well as a flagship and umbrella species of high-altitude ecosystems. Its presence is considered an important indicator of the integrity, stability and health of alpine ecosystems.

China has continued to strengthen its protected area system in the species' core distribution areas. Two national parks and 78 other important protected areas have been established in key habitats, while more than 800,000 sq km of snow leopard habitat has been placed under strict protection. Nearly 40 percent of the species' potential habitat is now under standardized management, the administration said.

The country has also made progress in rebuilding populations in areas where snow leopards had disappeared.

In the Helan Mountains, where snow leopards had become locally extinct, China launched its first systematic snow leopard reintroduction pilot project. The program has included individual selection, health assessments, genetic testing, acclimatization training, release and long-term monitoring.

Eight snow leopards have so far been introduced into the mountains. Together with individuals that arrived through natural dispersal, some snow leopards have established stable home ranges and begun hunting independently.

In 2026, the project achieved what the administration described as a complete conservation cycle: release, establishment in the wild, natural pairing, birth in the wild and successful rearing of a cub. The achievement is considered a major breakthrough in global snow leopard reintroduction and has filled a long-standing gap in the breeding history of wild snow leopards in the Helan Mountains.

Shi Kun, chief expert on snow leopards at the Feline Research Center of the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said a camera this year captured an adult snow leopard with a cub in the Helan Mountains.

Through individual identification, researchers determined that the female was one released in 2024, he said. They estimate that the cub was born in the spring of 2025.

Despite the progress, conservation still faces challenges from climate change, habitat fragmentation and human-wildlife conflict.

Shi said global warming could reduce snow cover and make areas that were previously difficult to access available for grazing. Livestock can become prey, creating a greater risk of conflict.

Snow leopards are also dependent on high-altitude habitats with relatively little human disturbance, Shi said.

A clearer picture of the species' distribution is another priority. Researchers need to identify core habitats and movement corridors, while assessing how roads, infrastructure and major settlements divide and fragment those areas, Shi said.

The administration said China will continue to improve its legal and policy framework, expand scientific monitoring and promote community participation.

houliqiang@chinadaily.com.cn