Leopards discovered in rural Pingyao

Leopards were recently discovered on Chaoshan Mountain and on main peak of Mengshan Mountain in Pingyao county, according to the management committee of the Chaoshan Mountain provincial natural reserve.

A kind of mammal under first-level national protection, the leopard is similar in appearance to a tiger but smaller and has yellowish-brown fur with black spots.

Naturalists say it usually lives alone, hunting at night or in the early morning and at dawn, mainly living in mountainous areas with forests. June is the leopard's birthing period, which means that it is very aggressive. 

In recent years, Pingyao county has beefed up its environmental protection and provided a free-living home for rare and endangered wildlife in the region. 

In addition to the leopards that have been discovered, Pingyao has also found rare animals such as brown-eared pheasants and black storks. 

Officials said the nature reserve will put together targeted protection strategies and management plans, to further improve the conservation of its wildlife.