URUMQI -- Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Forestry have recently spotted Gobi bear in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, marking the first recorded sighting of the endangered species within China.

Images of the Gobi bear, also known as Mazaalai in Mongolia, were captured during a research expedition in Xiamaya township, Yiwu county. This township borders the Great Gobi Strictly Protected Area - Zone A in Mongolia, a major habitat for the bear.

The endangered wildlife is the only bear species in the world that lives in deserts and Gobi areas. With only some 50 individuals remaining, the Gobi bear is critically endangered. These bears are mostly solitary in nature and have a gentle temperament. In Mongolia, the species is regarded as their national treasure, said Xue Yadong, a member of the research team.

In 2018, China and Mongolia signed an agreement on the implementation of a technical assistance project to save the Gobi bears and improve their range.

Official data from Mongolia unveiled at the launch of the project indicated that there were only some 20 Gobi bears in the world. Through six years of continuous monitoring and protection efforts, its population has now exceeded 50, Xue said.