Infrared camera monitoring in Gansu's Ziwuling Nature Reserve has confirmed a major conservation success: the North China leopard, a first-class nationally protected species, has expanded its habitat over 15 kilometers northward compared with 2023 data. The finding reflects improving ecosystem health in the region. The progress is driven by habitat restoration, ecological corridors and smart monitoring. More than 260 infrared cameras, combined with AI-based leopard identification, are tracking i