Snow Leopard Appears in Xinjiang Desert, Voluntarily Crawls Under Tourist Vehicle to Cool Off, Rescue Personnel: Indeed Rare, Also Indicates Environment is Improving

According to the official account “Turpan Zero Distance” from the Turpan Public Media Center in Xinjiang, at around 2:00 PM on March 21, a tourist discovered a snow leopard at the Kumutage Desert Scenic Area in Shanshan County, Turpan.

△Online screenshot.

Reportedly, the tourist immediately reported to the authorities. The Shanshan County Public Security Bureau and the Forestry and Grassland Bureau rushed to the scene. An initial inspection found that it was an adult female snow leopard, aged 5 to 7 years, showing signs of weakness and dehydration, with no obvious external injuries. The local authorities transferred the snow leopard overnight to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Wildlife Rescue Center for professional treatment.

△Online screenshot.

On March 22, a tourist who witnessed the snow leopard told reporters that it was their first time seeing a snow leopard in the desert. After seeing the snow leopard, they stayed at the scene waiting for relevant authorities. The snow leopard appeared somewhat dehydrated and even crawled under a vehicle to cool off. Staff at the Kumutage Desert Scenic Area told reporters that the place where the snow leopard was found is not the main scenic area. “The melting snow flows into the Shahu Lake here, and the snow leopard may have come along the water trail.”

△Photo source / Turpan Zero Distance.

According to Turpan Zero Distance, Li Hongbiao, the head of the Grassland Station of the Shanshan County Forestry and Grassland Bureau, explained that the snow leopard is a rare high-altitude species that typically inhabits alpine bare rock areas at elevations between 2,500 and 5,000 meters. Its appearance in the Kumutage Desert is extremely rare. “Based on the surrounding geographical environment, it is very likely that this snow leopard got lost while chasing prey in the Tianshan Mountains.”

△Photo source / Turpan Zero Distance.

The reporter also contacted staff at the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Wildlife Rescue Center. One staff member said that the snow leopard’s condition is stable. “We are also discussing why it appeared in the desert. It may have strayed from the Tianshan Mountains. January and February are the snow leopard’s mating season, and the breeding period is approaching. During this time, their activity range for finding food may expand. It’s also possible that the current snow leopard population has increased, and snow leopards have a strong territorial instinct. It might have been pushed out. Our current speculation is hard to confirm, but it indirectly indicates that the ecological environment is improving.” The staff added that once they evaluate the situation, they will release the snow leopard back into the wild.