Tianshan's Crown Exploring the land of glaciers and snow leopards

0 CommentsPrint E-mail Shanghai Daily, September 6, 2010
Adjust font size:

Snow leopard

As the first Chinese expedition to Tomur in 1977 focused mainly on survey and reconnaissance, the Chinese Academy of Sciences conducted a comprehensive scientific investigation of the region in 1978. This time the team included experts in meteorology, soil, botany, geomorphology, energy and ecology.

The 1978 expedition, which covered more than 9,000 square kilometers, proved fruitful. A hydrological station was set up on the Qiongtailan Glacier at 3,200 meters. Fossils of ancient ferns and animals were discovered in a stratum of sedimentary rock at 4,300 meters.

This marked the first time that fossils were discovered on the southern slopes of Mt Tomur. The scientists also found a rich variety of wildlife: 670 species of alpine plants in 80 families, 76 species of birds in 24 families, more than 40 species of vertebrates in 13 families, and more than 250 insect species in 23 orders. In 1980 the Mt Tomur Reserve was established to protect this trove of highland flora and fauna.

In recent years, scientists have discovered that Mt Tomur is also home to a significant concentration of snow leopards (Uncia uncia). In February 2006, an international team of 12 scientists (from six countries including China, Britain and the United States) conducted a joint survey to spot snow leopards in the Tomur region. It was the first time that the elusive cat was observed and photographed by expert witnesses.

According to a conservative estimate by researcher Ma Ming, from the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, there were five snow leopards within 200 square kilometers in the Tomur region. This compared favorably with an estimate by renowned biologist George Schaller, who in 1989 counted around 750 snow leopards in a 170,000-square kilometer habitat in Xinjiang.

   Previous   1   2   3   4  


Print E-mail Bookmark and Share

Go to Forum >>0 Comments

No comments.

Add your comments...

  • User Name Required
  • Your Comment
  • Racist, abusive and off-topic comments may be removed by the moderator.
Send your storiesGet more from China.org.cnMobileRSSNewsletter
主站蜘蛛池模板: 亚洲精品无码av人在线观看| 国产一区二区三区樱花动漫| 99精品热线在线观看免费视频| 挺进男同的屁股眼o漫画| 久草福利资源在线观看| 欧美巨大bbbb| 亚洲精品第一国产综合野| 精品亚洲欧美无人区乱码| 国产一区二区三区免费看| 香蕉视频成人在线观看| 国产白嫩美女在线观看| 538精品视频在线观看| 大又大又粗又硬又爽少妇毛片| 一本色综合久久| 无码人妻av一二区二区三区| 久久机热这里只有精品无需| 欧洲吸奶大片在线看| 亚洲国产精品成人精品软件 | 男女做性无遮挡免费视频| 午夜欧美精品久久久久久久| 中文字幕日韩精品一区二区三区| 日韩精品在线观看视频| 亚洲a在线播放| 欧美在线观看第一页| 亚洲日韩精品国产一区二区三区 | 日产国产欧美韩国在线| 久久婷五月综合| 日韩欧国产精品一区综合无码| 亚洲av永久无码精品天堂久久 | 天天操2018| jizz日本在线观看| 妇乱子伦精品小说588| 亚洲乱码一区av春药高潮| 欧美日韩一区二区综合| 亚洲熟女综合色一区二区三区| 激情综合色综合啪啪开心| 伊人久久久久久久久久| 猫咪www免费人成网站| 免费**的网址| 理论片中文字幕在线观看 | 怡红院视频在线|