Snow Leopards in the Himalayas are rare and elusive, making them nearly impossible for a photographer to capture. But many still try. Wildlife photographer Adam Riley says…
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.
In February, Riley and his team were in India’s Hemis National Park and were thrilled one morning to look through their telescopic lenses and see one over 2.5 miles away playing, sunning itself, and then chasing some sheep and coming up empty.
But they wanted more and kept trekking. They were rewarded for their efforts when, a few days later, they came within 300 yards of a snow leopard. They watched it as it watched its prey, nearby stragglers from a herd of blue sheep.
Can you see the cat in these next two pictures? (Scroll down to the last two pics if you can’t.)…
Can’t find it? Neither could the sheep, unfortunately for the one in the rear as they ran away. Of course, when the cat made its attack, it gave up its camouflage, making for some incredible shots, which Riley thinks may be the first ever photos of a snow leopard kill…
Riley did not take this experience for granted…
This was truly an incredible encounter we had been so, so fortunate to witness; a full Snow Leopard hunt from beginning to end including the take and kill. Our Snow Leopard spotter had been working in Hemis for 16 years and he had never seen this happen before nor knew anyone else who had been as fortunate as us… I am exhilarated therefore to be able to share my images and story of this hunt with you.
Read more and see a lot more photos at 10,000 Birds.
Oh, and if you’re still wondering where the predator was in those first two pics…
