Infrared cameras have captured rare footage of a leopard cat and a hog badger appearing in the same frame in Baotianman National Nature Reserve in central China's Henan Province, highlighting a healthy ecosystem and improved habitat conditions.
The footage, filmed in recent days, showed the two wild animals moving through the dense forest without disturbing each other.
Additional footage also showed a Chinese goral -- a species highly sensitive to habitat quality -- spotted at the very same location, while Reeves's muntjacs and wild boars were also recorded roaming the area.
These sightings reflect a thriving forest ecosystem in the area. Thanks to long-term habitat protection and ecological restoration, wildlife living conditions within the reserve have continually improved.
Located in Neixiang County, Nanyang City, Henan Province, Baotianman National Nature Reserve is home to 359 species of wild vertebrates from 83 families and 32 orders.
It also provides habitat for nationally protected and other rare species, underscoring the need for continued conservation efforts.
Rare footage captures leopard cat, hog badger together in Henan reserve
Space cooperation between Azerbaijan and China is poised for further expansion into areas such as commercial satellites and deep space research, said Dunay Badirkhanov, acting chair of the board of Azerbaijan's national space agency, Azercosmos.
The 77th International Astronautical Congress kicked off Monday in Antalya, Türkiye's Mediterranean resort city, gathering space leaders, researchers and industry representatives from across the globe.
Speaking on the sidelines of the five-day meeting, which runs under the theme "The World Needs More Space," Badirkhanov emphasized that heavy investments required for space and digital exploration make collaboration vital, particularly for emerging space nations like Azerbaijan.
"Today it's hard for a single country to have big achievements. Space exploration, digital exploration needs a lot of investment and this is the place where really the new possibilities open for developing for emerging space countries as Azerbaijan. We hope that this cooperation in future will even further grow, and we'll have more scientific projects there, and we already have some scientists and scientific projects ongoing, and we hope that this will even grow in the future," said Badirkhanov.
Azerbaijan joined China's International Lunar Research Station (ILRS) program in Oct. 2023 as space agencies of China and Azerbaijan signed a joint statement on cooperation on the program during the 74th International Astronautical Congress held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
According to the joint statement, the two sides would carry out extensive cooperation in the demonstration, implementation, operation and application of the program, including mounting scientific instruments, providing training to personnel and conducting scientific and technological experiments.
The ILRS program, jointly initiated by China and Russia in 2021, aims to build a lunar base and carry out lunar research and exploration.
Badirkhanov noted that Azercosmos is closely monitoring preparations for the ILRS program.
"We actively participate in the workshops and seminars regarding this laboratory. We closely monitor the ongoing preparations, and we closely collaborate with our partners to see how we can contribute as Azerbaijan is a scientific part of this project," he said.
Noting that China and Azerbaijan have good relations in space research, Badirkhanov expected cooperation with China in the field to grow further.
"Of course, space is huge and new opportunities open every day, every year. And we are happy that we are part of the international community and large space agencies, and China and others are open for emerging space countries to also be involved in their activities," said Badirkhanov.
Azerbaijan Space Agency eyes deeper cooperation with China: acting chief
