Original title: Desert Cat recorded for the first time in Qinghai Lake Region
Desert Cat is a national second-class protected animal in China. As the only unique feline distributed only in China, it is known as one of the most mysterious felines in the world because of its secret activities, small population and very limited records over the years.
According to the staff of Haiyan County fishery administration bureau of Qinghai Province, GA buzang Cailang, during his tour of the lake, he found an animal with yellow withered grass and suspected domestic cat drinking water in the river that was not completely frozen. When zooming in and looking at the photos taken with a digital camera, he found that the cat had long brown hair on the tip of its ears, which was very alert. After comparison, it was determined to be a desert cat.
It is understood that desert cats are mainly active at night and in the morning and dusk. They often avoid or use their protective color before human discovery, which is very difficult to observe and study.
The reporter found that in the past few years, there have been several infrared camera records in Qinghai area of Qilian Mountain National Park and Tongtianhe basin of Sanjiangyuan, and the staff have not clearly photographed the positive image of desert cat during field setting out survey.
According to the Qinghai Provincial Administration of Qilian Mountain National Park, Peking University has been entrusted to carry out a special survey on desert cats. Through social interviews, infrared cameras, fecal DNA and habitat modeling and prediction, it evaluates the protection status of jackals and desert cats from three aspects of distribution, quantity and threat factors, and scientifically formulates protection strategies.