XINING, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Across the vast expanse of heaven and earth, life carves its own path, unfolding tales of resilience and wonder. In northwest China, an injured snow leopard cub has embarked on its own remarkable journey of survival.

On Tuesday, the International Rare Animal Protection Day, a frail but feisty snow leopard cub basked in the sunlight, savoring a meal of minced rabbit mixed with milk powder -- a far cry from the brink of death it faced just a month ago.

On March 5, the day of Jingzhe, or the Awakening of Insects in China's traditional solar terms, a wildlife rescue and breeding center in northwest China's Qinghai Province received an emaciated six-month-old cub from Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

Severely malnourished, with a fractured spine, severe inflammation and critically low body temperature, the cub was barely clinging to life.

"When it arrived, it was so thin and frail that its limbs were stiff and head tilted back," recalled Qi Xinzhang, the center's deputy director.

They named the cub Ling Xiaozhe, with Ling bearing the meaning of overcoming difficulties, Zhe referring to the solar term of Jingzhe when it was rescued, and Xiao, or small, relating to its figure and age -- the cub weighed just 9.7 kg -- far below the healthy range for its age.

Veterinarians suspect the cub fell from a height, leaving it immobilized and starving before being discovered. A joint team from the center and China Agricultural University sprang into action, providing oxygen, warmth, antibiotics and nutritional support.

By March 8, hope flickered as Ling Xiaozhe lifted its head for the first time. "We finally helped it pull through," Qi said with considerable relief.

A FRAGILE COMEBACK

As its condition improved, the cub was moved to a hay-lined wooden crate for rehabilitation. Veterinarians massaged its stiff limbs and fed it calcium-enriched meat.

"At first, it resisted, but soon it seemed to understand what we were doing and became cooperative, and its muscles grew stronger," said Zhao Hailong, one of the caregivers.

Yet progress came with risks. On March 14, Ling Xiaozhe clumsily clambered out of its crate -- a sign of returning mobility, but also a potential threat to its healing spine. "We had to switch to a secure enclosure to prevent reinjury," Qi explained.

By late March, Ling Xiaozhe was eating independently, attempting wobbly steps and even growling protectively over its food bowl. A CT scan confirmed its spine was healing, but challenges remain.

"Neurological damage leaves its long-term recovery uncertain," warned Jin Yipeng, a veterinary expert.

A FUTURE IN CAPTIVITY

In China, the snow leopard is under top-level national protection, primarily found in regions such as Qinghai, Xizang, Gansu, Sichuan and Xinjiang. The latest data indicates that its population in China is steadily growing, with over 1,200 individuals now being monitored.

"Infrared cameras are increasingly capturing images of snow leopards in their natural habitats. Meanwhile, the rescue of injured snow leopards in the wild provides valuable data for in-depth studies of their physiological indicators and behavioral patterns," said Lian Xinming, a researcher at the Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The rescue operation has garnered widespread attention from various sectors of society. It has played a highly positive role in enhancing public understanding of the snow leopard population and the ecosystem of the Sanjiangyuan area, which contains the headwaters of the Yangtze, Yellow and Lancang rivers, Lian added.

While most rescued animals are released after recovery, Ling Xiaozhe, unfortunately, will have to live out its life in captivity.

"The ideal outcome is always returning animals to the wild," Qi said, adding that as Ling Xiaozhe was rescued at a young age, it had never learned how to fend for itself. It has also been desensitized to human interaction, so even if it recovers, its days of roaming free on the mountainside are now over.

"We hope that Ling Xiaozhe will one day soon thrive as a healthy, active ambassador for its species," Qi said.