Heshun County, in north China's Shanxi Province, has become a crucial habitat for the North China Leopard. The county sits between the Taihang and Taiyue mountains. From 2016 to date, local authorities say a total of 11 wild female leopards in the area have given birth to 37 cubs. In 2012, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the animal under the endangered species category. The growing number of leopards in the region has given hopes for reviving the animal population in the wild.