(Photo provided by the publicity department of Xiaojin county)

An infrared camera recently spotted a male snow leopard staking claim to its territory on Yaomei Peak, Mount Siguniang, in southwest China’s Sichuan province.

The one-minute video marks the first time that a film of a leopard has been recorded in the Mount Siguniang area.

The snow leopard is said to be a “barometer” indicator as to whether the high-altitude ecological system is healthy. It was listed as an endangered species by China in 1996.

China is home to 60 percent of the snow leopard's habitat.