CGTN Nature film crew captures moment of an encounter between predator and prey in Altai Mountains, northwestern China:
The golden eagle is one of the best-known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. The Altai marmots in the footage are main dish on a golden eagle's diet. However, the powerful raptor can do better than that: adult golden eagles feed on a variety of prey, including some quite large ones, such as deer calves and young foxes.
The golden eagle is one of the largest and most magnificent raptors. With a wingspan 2.4 meters at most, it ranks fifth among all living eagle species. It is also one of the best fliers on the planet: when diving after prey, a golden eagle can reach 240 to 320 kilometers per hour.
The golden eagle is widely distributed in Eurasia and North America. It is categorized as of "least concern" by IUCN red list, which means it is not a threatened species. However, it is under first-class protection in China.
About Rare Animals in China
How many rare animals in China can you list? The giant panda, the red panda, the snub-nosed monkey, the snow leopard? We want to make sure you can name 100 or more.
China is home to rich biodiversity. This series will focus on the rare animals that inhabit China. Under national protection, they need us, and the first step of protection is to know who they are.
(Video clip credits to CGTN Nature film crew. Cover design by CGTN's Chen Yuyang)
(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)