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Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Forestry discovered a gobi brown bear in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (SUAR, Northwest China), marking the first recorded sighting of this endangered species in China.
This is reported Xinhua News Agency.
The images of the animal, known as Mazaalai in Mongolia, were taken during a research expedition in Sima Village, Yiu County, which borders the Great Gobi strictly protected Area A in Mongolia, the bear's main habitat.
The endangered Gobi brown bear is the only bear species in the world that lives in the Gobi deserts and regions. Now there are only about 50 of them. These bears mostly lead a solitary lifestyle and are characterized by a mild disposition. In Mongolia, the species is considered a national treasure, said Xue Yadong, a member of the research team.
In 2018, China and Mongolia signed an agreement on the implementation of a technical assistance project to save Gobi brown bears and expand their habitat.
Official figures from Mongolia, released at the time of the project's launch, showed that there were only about 20 bears of this species in the world. According to Xue Yadong, after six years of continuous monitoring and protection, its population has been increased to more than 50 individuals.
