Cameras capture hidden lives of rare animals

The images and videos captured by the cameras are retrieved every three to six months and released later on the internet after selection and editing.

"The time when the footage is captured and the time when we see it can be separated by a long period, but you still feel a kind of interaction across time and space," Gao said.

Snow leopards, lynxes, brown bears and red deer are often spotted in regions such as the Tianshan Mountains in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and the Mount Qomolangma area.

Asian elephants have been captured by their cameras in Yunnan province and leopard cats, palm civets and gibbons have been recorded in Hainan province. During their surveys in Hoh Xil, the cameras even captured Tibetan antelopes.

Snow leopards shot by infrared cameras are a particular favorite online.

As a flagship species for the conservation of alpine ecosystems, the population of snow leopards is an indicator of ecological health in high-altitude ecosystems. Alpine ecosystems also play a crucial role in water conservation and climate regulation, Gao said.