Extremely rare footage of a snow leopard marking his territory and calling loudly has been shared online recently.
The cat was spotted on a nature trail in the Khaplu Valley of Baltistan in the Himalayas. The extraordinary video was taken in February of this year via remote high-definition cameras set up to monitor these elusive wild cats as researchers attempt to assess just how many of these rare creatures live here in the remote mountains of Pakistan.
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The remarkable video was recently released by The White Lion Foundation (TWLF), who have set up the cameras to try to estimate the current populations. With an estimated 4,000 to 7,500 snow leopards left in the wild, these cats are one of the world’s most endangered big cats.
“Being able to track the leopard population in this region provides valuable data on numbers, habitat and behavior, in very remote and hard-to-access areas,” TWLF explained in a press release. “This enables greater understanding and hence protection for the animals.”
“In these challenging times, it lifts our collective spirits to see such unique and wonderful footage of the forever-beautiful snow leopard,” said TWLF’s Director Shirley Galligan. “Our charity is working very hard to make sure these exquisite creatures are able to continue living in freedom, in the Karakoram mountains for many generations to come.”
Listen to another recording of a snow leopard calling out in the video below that was recently shared on Instagram by wildlife photographer Tom Jones.
