At this very spot, on our first afternoon in the park, and within half an hour of officially beginning our Snow Leopard search, our expert local spotter had exclaimed “Shan!!” – the Ladakhi name for Snow Leopard. After a few tense moments and some mild panic, we had all trained our telescopes on a Snow Leopard stalking across a far mountain slope. The distance was extreme, estimated at 2.5-3km, even the cat’s spots were hard to discern, yet we spent an enthralling hour and a half watching it sunning itself on a rock, then rolling like a tabby in loose gravel before setting off, at a remarkably rapid pace, across the mountain slope until it disappeared above a cliff face. Moments later it came barreling down the cliff in a chase, scattering a herd of Blue Sheep in all directions, however it didn’t seem to reach striking distance of any of them. It then disappeared over the mountain ridge, seemingly in disgust! “High fives” were shared all round, we were elated! We had 9 days in the mountains and by the first day we had already actually clapped eyes on this, the Gray Ghost of the Himalayas, albeit distantly. Seeing a wild Snow Leopard is every wildlife enthusiast’s dream, probably the ultimate and most elusive wildlife experience on the planet. This Holy Grail of sightings was until quite recently, virtually impossible, requiring months of extreme endurance for even the slimmest glimmer of hope. Peter Matthiessen’s famous book Snow Leopard describes such an attempt that proved ultimately unsuccessful in his primary goal of glimpsing a Snow Leopard.
Our guide explained that camera traps scattered at strategic sites in the three valleys around our camp had revealed that there were no less than 11 resident Snow Leopards in the immediate vicinity! An astounding density for a large predator, especially in such a cold, desert-like environment. Furthermore, the total population in Hemis National Park is estimated at 50-60 individuals, making the park an important genetic reservoir for this species which is classified on the IUCN’s Red Data List as Endangered. In case we had any doubts, our guide led us to one of these camera traps where he hauled out the camera and as we flicked through the past few weeks’ images, we were amazed to see close-up shots of Snow Leopard after Snow Leopard; males, females, cubs, taken both at night and day!
Day three had dawned bright and sunny once again. In fact these days in late October were just stunning, and despite being at 3,900m in elevation, the conditions necessitated no more than a t-shirt! However as soon as the sun disappeared behind the mountains, a remarkable phenomenon occurred; the mercury literally plummeted more than 20 degrees centigrade to below zero over a short time. We opted for a pre-breakfast scan at the knoll above camp from where we had lucked into our first sighting. This time it was our assistant Snow Leopard spotter who uttered the magical word, and after a scramble we were again all watching a much closer Snow Leopard in the Tarbung Valley. The cat actually appeared almost golden in the early morning light and this time we could admire its magnificent thick, blotched pelt, extremely long tail and large head. Snow Leopards are the subject of recent taxonomic debate, sometimes being placed in their own genus Uncia (from their earliest Western name Ounce, an ancient name first given to the Eurasian Lynx; which also occurs in Hemis National Park). However most recent research places them amongst the Panthera. This is the genus of the typical large cats including Lion, Leopard, Jaguar and Tiger. In fact genetic evidence indicates that the Snow Leopard’s closest living relative is the Tiger. Our Snow Leopard sat, quite Cheetah-like, before stalking off and once again rolling in the gravel, apparently an indication of the desire to mask its scent before a hunt. We realized that we could place ourselves much closer to our dream target if we hiked down into the valley where we had spent the previous day, so we left one of our spotters on the knoll with a radio and we descended with bated breath, by-passing camp and breakfast en route!
Half an hour later we were on the slope opposite to where we had seen our Snow Leopard and with directions from our spotter we managed to relocate the cat. It was barely visible at the top of an outcrop about 300m away, cautiously peering over the rocks at us. We settled down and trained our telescopes, cameras and binoculars on the far slope and slowly but surely, our leopard gained confidence until it lifted its whole head and stared at us. After an hour, a pleasant surprise awaited us when our camp staff arrived with hot breakfast and coffee in tow and served us a delicious meal in situ as we marveled at the Snow Leopard! Hard to believe this was real! As the sun rose and the day heated up, our cat dozed off, all we could see was a paw and the top of its head. Lunchtime rolled around and once again we were treated to another hot meal brought up from camp.
As the shadows lengthened, a herd of ten Blue Sheep made an appearance on the scene. They slowed grazed their way up from the stream cutting through the valley, heading in the general direction of the rocky outcrop in which our Snow Leopard was resting. Closer and closer they approached and our adrenalin levels began to rise, but then the lead sheep changed direction and started moving back down the hill. Seven in total descended but two adults and a juvenile kept moving towards the danger zone…..
And finally in a blur, everything happened. The Snow Leopard leapt from its cover, bounding across the rocks in great leaps towards the young Blue Sheep. All three sheep took to flight, creating dust trails in their wake. The speed at which the Snow Leopard closed ground on the young sheep was remarkable as it barreled off the rocky outcrop to open ground, clearing a large rock en route.
The two adult sheep had gone their separate ways, one heading downhill away from the danger and the other, possibly the younger sheep’s mother, scrambling up a steep slope. At this point, our young sheep made a tactical error and instead of fleeing downslope, it tried to follow the upper sheep.
The scene of the Snow Leopard hunt in the Tarbung Valley – the white line begins at the point where the Snow Leopard spent the day and tracks the route of the leopard’s stalk along the back of the rocky outcrop and then across the fault line in the rocks. The blue line follows the route of the Blue Sheep as they grazed towards the rocky outcrop. The red line follows the chase with the yellow dot indicating the first failed attack and the red dot being the final kill position
For anyone wishing for the opportunity to witness such an incredible event, ORYX – Worldwide Wildlife Safaris (www.oryxwildlifesafaris.com) offer Snow Leopard expeditions annually in October and February, combined with a Royal Bengal Tiger and Indian One-horned Rhinoceros extension. They also arrange and guide other wildlife tours globally to the world’s last remaining wildernesses in search of iconic wildlife.
Rugged scenery in montane Ladakh, the snow covered peaks of Hemis National Park are visible in the background
The 4,400 square kilometre Hemis National Park is the largest park in the whole of South Asia. It is accessed through the high altitude (3,500m) city of Leh, capital of Ladakh in Jammu-Kashmir State, north west India. Regular flights operate from New Delhi offering phenomenal views flying over the Great Himalayan Range. Ladakh, also known as Little Tibet due to the local influx of Tibetans after the Chinese take-over of Tibet, is situated on the border with Tibet but several hundred kilometers east of the volatile and disputed Pakistani Kashmir boundary. Leh and its surrounds are well worth exploring, in fact essential since its necessary for most people to acclimatize here for at least one full day before beginning their Snow Leopard expedition in nearby Hemis National Park.
Several impressive temples and monasteries are dotted around Leh and the birding can be excellent with species such as Ibisbill, Solitary Snipe and Mountain Leaf Warbler to name but a few. Access to Hemis National Park is via a short drive to Zingchen and this scenic route offers the best chance for locating the long legged and large bossed Ladakh Urial also known as Red Sheep. The road comes to an end near the boundary of Hemis and from here it’s an easy walk of less than an hour to the base camp in the Rumbak Valley (3,900m). Within the vicinity of camp and its surrounding valleys, 11 Snow Leopard are resident. For those with additional time, it is worth hiking deeper into the park to Kanda La pass (4,900m) and here Woolly Hares are much commoner as are their main predator, the Eurasian Lynx. The huge Argali, another species of wild sheep, also occur here. Wolves can be encountered anywhere in the park. Birding opportunities are limited with fairly low diversity at this elevation but typical species include Lammergeier, Golden Eagle, Himalayan Snowcock, both species of chough, White-winged Redstart, Brown Accentor and Fire-fronted Serin.
Fantastic photos and notes Adam, I’m very envious, but hope to get over that as next week we head off on this very same trip! If we have half your luck I would be thrilled, in fact a mere glimpse is more than I dare hope for.
That is about all one can say except maybe congratulations and, of course, excellent photos – thanks for sharing.
In 2001, I spent 8 days in Hemis on a semi-solo trip (Markha Valley). While I was “looking for” snow leopards, and hoping I might just luck into one, I knew I’d never find any. However, I am sure they saw me. And I went to a wildlife conference a few years later, and I want to say it was Australian film-makers who captured the first footage of snow leopards copulating in that same area.
Anyway, it is the harshest environment that I have ever seen anyone living in – stunning but harsh. It made me think of Nevada… if you raised the entire state 10,000 feet. Maybe I will get back some day.
Tibetan Snowcock – Chukars on steroids, Lords of the Steppe, 4 massive birds slowing strutting along. Amazing.
Impossible. No one ever sees snow leopards. They are totally invisible. These images just cannot be.
It’s every naturalist’s dream come true! Happy someone could enjoy it, and very thankful that you shared it with us the rest of the world.
If anyone is keen to follow our current Snow Leopard tour we are posting updates as and when we can on https://www.facebook.com/IndriUltimateWildlifeTours
Last december 2013 were in Rumbak. We saw 2 Snow Leopards eating a donkey in Tarbung valley. But saw no hunting.
This sequence of photos is superb, fantastic, incredible and awesome (plus a lot of other descriptors). I am very proud to be a tiny, even minute part of your team, marketing tours across North America.
Beautiful animals these – and I am getting goosebumps just reading through your blog and seeing the pictures !
My dad is a retired Indian Forest Service person, and he had shown these pics to me yesterday, and today I shared them via another friend’s post.
What I saw in the photos of a Snow Leopard making a Kill & read in the description is any Nature lover & Photographers Dream….Am sure, all the people who were present there to see this Great action are so much blessed to witness this Life Time experience……All I can say, WOW
Wow! Superb sighting. I know lots of people who have been to Hemis and had sightings of snow leopard, if lucky within a few hundred metres, but never a hunt! So cool that you captured it all. I was there last year and saw 8 cats, but none hunting – will have to try again! There’s a report and some photos from our trip here:
This was like watching Animal Planet in slow mode. While your photos capture the hunt in its entirety, I like your narrative skills even best. I do my wildlife viewing while in my sofa but it still kicks ass! Your website is truly amazing, thanks for sharing these wonders with us.
If i may ask. What camera equipment were you using? What was your system? I am well equipped for general safari trips but I’m curious to hear from experts on their setups for harsher environments and for longer distances. Thanks in advance.