XI'AN, Jan. 20 -- A rare leopard, one of the world's most endangered species, has been killed in northwest China's Shaanxi Province, local government said Monday.

Police are hunting the man suspected of trapping and killing the animal.

Two men were caught transporting the dead female leopard out of a forest in the city of Yan'an on Friday. The leopard is the first of its kind spotted in Shaanxi in decades, said Gao Jinlong, head of the city's wildlife protection administration.

"We've heard of rumors of a leopard here for many years, but never found any solid evidence. It's such a great shame that the rumors were finally verified with the bloody truth," said Gao.

Police found two men parking a van on a forest road in Huangling County in a routine patrol on Friday night. One man jumped out of the vehicle and ran off, while the other was caught.

Police later found the dead cat and a large trap made of steel wire in the van.

The leopard was put on the list of the animals under the top grade national-level protection in 1983. Its wild population is only a few hundred now, according to Gao.