LANZHOU, March 3 (Xinhua) -- Four snow leopards were captured in rare video footage in the Qilian Mountains in northwest China's Gansu Province, according to local authorities.

The footage, taken at 3:54 a.m. on Oct. 10, 2019, clearly shows a female snow leopard with three cubs, according to the natural resources bureau of Aksay Kazak Autonomous County.

"In recent years, a large number of snow leopard videos have been captured by infrared cameras in Aksay, but it is rare to see four snow leopards together in a video," said Li Zhilong, an engineer with the bureau.

Several infrared cameras were installed in the mountainous areas in Aksay by a joint research team of the county's natural resources bureau and the World Wildlife Fund, capturing more than 130 photos and 36 videos of precious wildlife.

Snow leopards are a Class A protected animal in China and are classified as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They mainly inhabit the Himalayas in central and southern Asia at an altitude of 2,500 to 4,500 meters. Enditem