The first snow leopard has been spotted by a camera trap in the Bayan-Chagan section of Sailyugem National Park. Researchers believe this is a growing cub exploring a new area.

The camera trap was installed in 2014 to observe the Altai argali. “This was a pleasant surprise, because we had not seen a single rare predator in this area for four years,” said Alexei Kuzhlekov, a research fellow at the national park. He added that last year a female snow leopard with two cubs was first recorded in a neighbouring section.

Specialists believe that a young snow leopard in a new area is a sign that the population is gradually recovering. Additional cameras have been installed to determine the leopard’s sex.