7月6日，华北平原夏日炎炎，而地处西部太行山区的河北驼梁国家级自然保护区依然翠林茏烟，和风习习。
North China leopard, once on the verge of extinction, has been spotted again in its traditional habitat at the Tuoliang National Nature Reserve in north China's Taihang Mountains Area.
华北豹的“回归”，意味着整个华北地区山地森林生态系统得以恢复。华北豹在用它们独有的方式，为人类改善生态环境的努力作出见证。
Its return signifies the restoration of the mountain forest ecology in North China, serving as a witness to the efforts made by the local people in improving the ecology.
今年3月中旬，在一次例行野外红外相机数据回收行动中，华北豹意外“入镜”。“真是个天大的惊喜!” 河北驼梁国家级自然保护区管护中心副主任李剑平告诉记者。
The return of leopard was accidentally recorded in mid-March this year, when forest rangers were collecting their infrared cameras they installed in the forest.
"This is really a huge surprise," said Li Jianping, deputy director of the Management and Conservation Center of the Tuoliang National Nature Reserve.
2022年3月，河北驼梁国家级自然保护区内的红外相机拍摄到的华北豹影像。视频截图
The image of North China leopard captured in an infrared camera installed in the forest of the Tuoliang National Nature Reserve in March 2022.
“看，这就是驼梁上红外相机拍到的豹子。”河北省林业和草原局野生动物专家安春林兴奋地向记者展示红外相机抓拍到的华北豹影像。在这段视频中，华北豹从雪地里款款走来，似乎对红外相机产生了兴趣，嗅来嗅去，呲牙咧嘴，不时露出尖利的牙齿。
"Look, this is the leopard recorded," An Chunlin, a wildlife expert from the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hebei Province, said excitedly, showing to reporters the image of the leopard in the camera. The image shows that the leopard walking cumbersomely and slowly toward the camera, sniffing here and there, and gnashing its teeth sometimes.
李剑平告诉记者，红外相机监测显示，目前驼梁共有三只华北豹，两雌一雄。近年来，河北小五台、平泉等地也都通过红外相机拍摄到过华北豹的影迹，曾经销声匿迹多年的华北豹身影重现，引起各方关注。
Li said that the infrared cameras have captured three North China leopards, two females and one male. This has aroused the attention from all quarters as such leopards have not been seen for years.
“华北豹频繁出现，证明当地生态体系的完整和生物多样性的丰富。”安春林解释说，狍子和野猪是华北豹食物链的重要环节，以驼梁为例，近年来这里森林植被逐步恢复，狍子、野猪、 等野生动物越来越多，为华北豹的生存提供了稳定的生态系统，华北豹是“闻着味”回来的。
"The frequent appearance of the North China leopard shows that the local ecological system is complete, and the biodiversity is rich," said An Chunlin, citing the major food chains of wild boar, roe deer and pheasants, which have become more and more in number thanks to the gradual restoration of the forest vegetation, and they have provided a stable favored ecological system for leopard.
河北省林草局野生动物专家安春林沿着华北豹回归的轨迹，记录驼梁的生态变迁。长城网·冀云客户端记者 乔娅 摄
An Chunlin recording the ecological evolution of the Tuoliang National Nature Reserve. Photo by Qiao Ya/Great Wall New Media.
据介绍，华北豹是以华北山区为主要活动区域的大型猛兽，也是生态质量的指示性物种。由于栖息地被破坏、生态环境恶化、食物减少等原因，华北豹曾一度消失于人们的视野，被列为世界级濒危物种。
North China leopard is a species indicative of ecological quality. Its once disappearance showed that its habitat was damaged, the ecological system was deteriorated and its food dwindled and was, therefore, listed as the world class endangered species.
河北省林业和草原局生态保护修复与荒漠化防治处处长马书峰介绍说，自1986年开始，河北省大力推进太行山造林绿化，相继启动实施了太行山绿化工程、退耕还林工程、京津风沙源治理工程、果树提质增效工程等重大项目，经过30多年的持续治理，河北境内太行山山脉的森林覆盖率由13.1%提高到30%，并逐步修复打通了太行山山脉沿线被割裂的生态廊道。
According to Ma Shufeng, chief of the ecological protection and restoration and desertification control division of the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Hebei Province, the province has since 1986 engaged in a massive greening project on the Taihang Mountains, a project of returning reclaimed land to forests, a Beijing-Tianjin sandstorm control project and a project of improving fruit trees. After more than three decades, the province has raised the forest cover on the mountains from 13.1 percent to 30 percent and opened up the ecological corridor that had been cut up along the foot of the Taihang Mountains.
河北省林草局野生动物专家安春林（右）和河北驼梁国家级自然保护区管护中心副主任李剑平一起在密林深处寻找华北豹踪迹。长城网·冀云客户端记者 郑佳洵 摄
An Chunlin (Right) and Li Jianping searching for the traces of North China leopard deep in the forest. Photo by Zheng Jiaxun/Great Wall New Media.
2020年以来，河北省启动华北豹种群和栖息地资源专项调查，通过对华北豹种群数量、密度、分布及栖息地状况的调查，为制定有效的保护计划、恢复其种群及栖息地提供了可靠的科学依据。此外，还在石家庄、秦皇岛、承德等华北豹分布区实施了系列监测保护工程，进一步强化了华北豹就地保护措施。
Since 2020, the province has carried out a survey of the North China leopard population and habits, covering the number, living density, distribution and habitats. The survey has provided a reliable basis for formulating a plan for effective restoration and protection of the population and habitats. In addition, the province has launched a series of monitoring and protecting project in Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao and Chengde, where leopards are distributed.
“通过红外相机监测统计，目前驼梁保护区内共有脊椎动物227种，占全省脊椎动物的45.9%；高等植物1187种，占全省野生植物的50.5%。生物种群的丰富与数量的增加，为华北豹的‘回归’提供了基础条件。”李剑平说。
"The statistical data from the infrared camera monitoring show that in the Tuoliang National Natural Reserve there are a total of 227 vertebrates, accounting for 45.9 percent of the provincial total, and 1,187 plant species of higher order, accounting for 50.5 percent of the provincial total. The enrichment and the increase in the number of biotic populations have provided the basic conditions for the return of North China leopard," said Li Jianping.
