On January 30th, the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Fuyun County, Altay Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, issued a situation report stating that after a skiing tourist was bitten by a snow leopard in Talat Village, Keketuohai Town, Fuyun County, Xinjiang, on January 28th, another snow leopard appeared in the area and broke into a herder's sheepfold, killing 35 sheep and biting 5 others. According to preliminary assessment, the two incidents were caused by the same snow leopard. The Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Fuyun County organized professional personnel to develop a work plan to capture snow leopards and safely transport them to the Fuyun County Wildlife Rescue Center. The rescue center plans to release it back into the wild in a timely manner after scientific evaluation, once the weather warms up. According to public reports, the tourist who was attacked by a snow leopard suffered facial injuries and was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment. The condition is stable. Who is responsible for tourists being bitten by wild animals in the scenic area? How should residents and tourists prevent risks? A reporter from the Rule of Law Daily conducted an interview on relevant issues. According to Gu Yu, a lawyer from Beijing Dacheng (Urumqi) Law Firm, the relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Law and the "Implementation Measures of the Wildlife Protection Law of the People's Republic of China in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region" clearly stipulate that if the protected wildlife causes casualties, crop or other property losses, the local people's government shall provide compensation. The specific measures shall be formulated by the People's Government of the autonomous region. Local governments can promote insurance institutions to carry out wildlife damage compensation insurance business. In practice, many regions in Xinjiang have introduced specific policies and promoted harm insurance. In 2023, Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture issued the "Autonomous Prefecture Land Wildlife Harm Compensation Insurance (Trial) Work Plan", establishing a compensation mechanism of "government subsidies for insurance of 3 million yuan, voluntary supplementary insurance for farmers and herdsmen, and leveraging insurance companies to claim 20 million yuan"; In 2025, the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture issued the "Implementation Plan for Compensation Insurance for Damage Caused by Direct Land Wildlife in Ili Prefecture (Trial)" and established a risk compensation mechanism. The location of this incident, Fuyun County, has also established corresponding mechanisms and completed the first batch of compensation insurance for terrestrial wildlife damage in September last year. Fifteen herdsmen received a total of more than 40000 yuan in compensation. Zhang Jing, the captain of the Environmental Resources and Food and Drug Crime Investigation Brigade of the Shayibake District Branch of Urumqi Public Security Bureau, reminded that it is necessary to take regular protective measures against wild animal invasions in daily life. Zhang Jing suggested that herdsmen should raise and reinforce their pens, and stay away from areas where wild animals are prone to hiding, such as mountain gullies and forests, when grazing; With the help of technology and auxiliary means, induction searchlights and sound and light avoidance devices are set up around the enclosure, and sheepdogs wearing anti wolf collars can be raised and patrolled by drones; Seek help from professional departments in a timely manner. If wild animals are found approaching or attacking livestock, immediately call the forestry and wildlife protection departments. Professional personnel will take legal measures such as population control and relocation protection to dispose of the situation. If unfortunately attacked, prioritize ensuring your own safety. Gu Yu explained that Article 19, Paragraph 3 of the Wildlife Protection Law stipulates that in emergency situations where wildlife endangers human safety, if measures are taken to cause damage to wildlife, legal responsibility shall not be borne in accordance with the law. Lai Yixin, instructor of the Environmental Resources and Food and Drug Crime Investigation Detachment of the Tiemenguan Public Security Bureau of the Second Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, said that when encountering wild animals outdoors, remember to "not disturb, not provoke, and evacuate slowly": when discovering them from a distance (about 50 meters), slowly turn around their activity path, and when encountering them at a close distance (about 10 meters), lift up clothes, backpacks, and other items to expand their own contour, and transmit non prey signals to them by creating low pitched sounds; Travel in groups as much as possible, avoid dawn and dusk, wear sound equipment such as bear bells, and evacuate immediately if traces of feces, paw prints, etc. are found. After escaping danger, immediately report to the police or contact relevant local departments, preserve on-site evidence, and seek medical attention and vaccination promptly if scratched or bitten. It is strictly prohibited to feed wild animals. On the one hand, it can avoid being attacked, and on the other hand, it can protect the foraging ability of wild animals. ”Lai Yixin said that some places have made regulations that feeding wild animals indiscriminately will be punished. (New Society)