Researchers said the three species, all under China's Class I or Class II national protection, were detected in the same area through field surveys and monitoring efforts. The finding indicates that the ecosystem in the southern Nujiang River basin remains well preserved, with a stable food chain capable of supporting top predators and large herbivores.

The leopard is a top predator that primarily preys on hoofed animals. The white-lipped deer, endemic to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, is the world's highest-altitude large deer species. The Eurasian lynx is a medium-sized predator adapted to environments ranging from forests to alpine deserts.