The discovery of large animal footprints by farmers in Zhenping County, Shaanxi Province, on Monday is drawing a number of experts to northwest China.

They have found more than 30 footprints of the same size as those seen in a deep virgin forest on a mountain at an altitude of 1,938 meters. The footprints are about 17 centimeters in diameter and measure about a meter from end to end.

They are believed to be those of some big cat species and are still under investigation.

(Sanqin Daily June 29, 2007)