Survey of wildlife resources concludes in Xinjiang

A survey of wildlife resources in the central and eastern Tianshan Mountains in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region came to a close recently, helping to form an initial general picture of the wild animals and plants there and establishing set data for the first time, according to local authorities.

It is another survey, which lasted a year and a half, conducted by the Forestry Administration Bureau of the Eastern Tianshan Mountains after the first one in 2014, adopting new methods and new equipment.

The central and eastern parts of the Tianshan Mountains run through Urumqi, the region's capital, spanning an area of 26,000 square kilometers with complex terrain and diverse landscapes which provide a unique living environment for wild animals and plants.

"The survey spanned from Hami in eastern Xinjiang to Wusu in western Xinjiang, a distance of about 1,000 kilometers," said Wang Ruifen, a staff member of the Forestry Administration Bureau of the Eastern Tianshan Mountains.

As the survey involves a large area, a long-time span and a variety of animals and plants, multiple technical measures and equipment including infrared cameras and molecular scatology have been used to ensure the veracity of the data collected.

"The results show that the area boasts 284 species of terrestrial wild animals, including 58 species under national protection and 855 species of plants, 13 of which are under national protection. We have updated the lists of wildlife and key protected wildlife of the Forestry Administration Bureau of the Eastern Tianshan Mountains, and analyzed and evaluated the populations of large and medium-sized mammals such as snow leopards, wild boars, Siberian ibexes, red deer, wolves and red foxes," said Zhang Yubao, director of the administration.

(Cover: Narat Grassland in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China, June 20, 2024. /CFP)