XINING, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Over the past decade, Tibetan photographer Bao Yongqing has dedicated himself to capturing the elusive snow leopards in the rugged wilderness of China's Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, often referred to as the "roof of the world."

He has trekked through towering mountains and deep valleys, braving harsh cold and limited connectivity in his pursuit of these beautiful creatures.

"At the beginning, photography was just a hobby, but as I kept shooting, it gradually became a responsibility," he said.

To truly document the life of the beautiful big cats, Bao once spent nine days alone in a cave in a remote mountainous valley at an altitude of nearly 4,000 meters, observing a snow leopard family from a distance of less than 200 meters.

"As a photographer, our work can help more people learn and understand the wildlife here, and seize their attention for the plateau's ecology," he added.

Thursday marks International Snow Leopard Day. Known as the "king of the snow mountains," this animal is under first-class national protection in China and is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

The majestic felines are the flagship and umbrella species of high-altitude ecosystems. They serve as indicators of climate change and water resource security, and act as a "barometer" for alpine ecosystem health, according to Lian Xinming, a researcher with the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

In recent years, Qinghai has made significant progress in the construction of Sanjiangyuan National Park and the Qinghai section of the candidate area for Qilian Mountains National Park, providing approximately 200,000 square kilometers of protected space for snow leopards and other wildlife. Monitoring key species' populations and habitats has created new avenues for the restoration of endangered species and the preservation of ecosystem health.

Under comprehensive conservation efforts, the population of snow leopards in Qinghai has grown to approximately 1,200, according to Du Pinggui, director of the Qinghai provincial forestry and grassland bureau.

"Qinghai is building a new nature reserve system centered around national parks and has established a biodiversity monitoring network with a focus on snow leopards," said Du.

He added that the province has innovated with digital technology in wildlife conservation, employing satellite tracking, infrared cameras, drones, and patrol apps to build a smart protection system. These tools provide crucial data for research and policy-making.

In the vast, challenging terrain of Sanjiangyuan National Park, the park's management bureau has also enlisted 17,211 local herders as certified ecological rangers.

The flagship species also spurs "celebrity effect," as public affection for snow leopards drives wider participation in snow leopard conservation, said Lian.

Ma Palden, a 52-year-old Tibetan herder living in the Qinghai section of the candidate area of Qilian Mountains National Park, could hardly contain his excitement when he encountered a rare sight -- a mother snow leopard with four cubs on his grazing route this summer.

"We often see traces of snow leopards, but spotting five at once is exhilarating. It indicates the Qilian Mountains provide abundant food for them," he said.

However, the growing snow leopard population also brings "sweet trouble" for herders. Even though one of his yaks became a snow leopard's meal, Ma bears no grudge as they occasionally prey on livestock during scarce winters.

"Snow leopards are vulnerable, and we will do our best to protect them in our shared homeland," he added.

Previous estimate shows that the global snow leopard population is between 7,446 and 7,996 individuals, and China is home to about 60 percent of the animals' habitats in the world.

Qinghai's Sanjiangyuan area is one of the most densely populated areas for snow leopards in the country and the world, according to an assessment survey released earlier this year by Shan Shui Conservation Center, a Chinese local private non-enterprise unit, and other research institutions.

As Bao's dedication to the snow leopard receives international attention, his works have been exhibited abroad.

"When exhibiting my work abroad, people are not only amazed by these gorgeous creatures, but they also learn about how China builds national parks and the biodiversity at the 'roof of the world'," he said. ■