Northwest China's Tianshan Mountains, with their spectacular glaciers and diverse wildlife, have been nominated for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list, local officials said February 13.

The government of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region recently submitted an application to the UNESCO World Heritage Center for review and evaluation, said officials from the Tianchi Administration Committee, a body that oversees preservation efforts for the Tianshan Mountains.

The Tianshan Mountains stretch for 2,500 km in Xinjiang, bordering Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. The range is home to 15,953 glaciers, the most of any range in the country, as well as the endangered snow leopard. About 66 percent of the world's 2,500 remaining snow leopards live in Xinjiang.