The North China leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis) is a leopard subspecies native to northern China. It is believed that Shanxi has a viable population, thanks to good forest cover and amount of roe deer and wild boar. What’s more, there is a NGO named Wocheng Institute of Ecology and Environment (WIEE) working on environmental conservation in Shanxi for many years. WIEE is an excellent institute run by three coordinated teams: the fieldwork team, the data team and the logistic team. Since 2008 they have been setting camera traps in various nature reserves and have captured many valuable images of the North China leopard and other prey species. Their fieldwork team is very skilled and routinely conduct surveys using a variety of methods, such as transect lines, camera traps, identifying signs, communicating with local guides.
WI and WIEE are now collaborating to build a leopard species distribution model for Shanxi province and to estimate population size in Lishan National Nature Reserve. These first steps will hopefully contribute to the conservation of leopards in this region.
WI and WIEE are now collaborating to build a leopard species distribution model for Shanxi province and to estimate population size in Lishan National Nature Reserve. These first steps will hopefully contribute to the conservation of leopards in this region.