This is the first ever recorded footage of a Snow Leopard hunting in the wild.

The species is currently fighting for its life, with only 4,000 to 6,500 individuals remaining in the wild. Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, the species faces ongoing threats from habitat loss, poaching, and increasing human activity in remote mountain regions. As “adventure tourism” expands, encounters like this are becoming more likely.

This statistic combined with the elusive nature of these big cats makes them some of the rarest animals on the planet.

Snow leopards are magnificent looking creatures weighing between 50 and 150 pounds. Their coats are long and thick, ranging in color from smoky gray to light tan and equipped with a dense pattern of black rosettes.

Their large paws are wide enough to enable them to walk efficiently across snowy, mountainous terrain and boasts thick fur which serves as traction support.

Snow leopards are solitary hunters and opportunistic feeders. They prey on small animals such as hares and birds in addition to very large mammals, including bharal, ibex, tahr, argali, horse, and camel.

In this amazing footage we witness a Snow Leopard pursue a mountain goat down a precariously steep cliff.

In a swift chase, these two mountain climbers defy gravity in a struggle that could go either way. But in the last moment, the goat gets lucky, and makes a getaway into the river.

The Snow Leopard doesn’t follow the goat into the river, however, because after all, most cats hate water.

Snow leopards don’t have it easy…