In 2021, the NGO used satellite tracking for the first time in China to show where snow leopards range. Through the analysis of a large number of infrared photos and other field survey data, they identified key distribution areas of the animal in the country, as well as its population in these areas.

In a project carried out in the Tianshan Mountains in Xinjiang last year, infrared cameras caught an interesting scene around the carcass of a red deer. There were not only scavenging birds that are commonly seen, but also wild boars, red foxes, wolves and even magpies, all of whom had their sights set on a slice of the carcass.

"That's why we engage in biodiversity conservation work. It is not just about the protection of species diversity but also about the safeguarding of the normal functioning of the ecosystem," Gao said. "Learning about biodiversity helps us gain more specific insight into the world we live in, and better understand the relationship between nature and ourselves."

Wang Jing and Wang Danning contributed to this story.