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.