Rare snow leopard mother and 18-month-old cubs are spotted curling up in Indian Himalayas

A snow leopard mother curled up on a powder-covered ledge to take a break from parenthood while her 18-month-old cubs clambered around the rocky outcrop, stunning photos have revealed.

The young predators took it in turns to scramble vertically over broken rocks with a 1,500-foot drop to the valley below, and stare up at either snow pigeons or the photographer, before returning to their sleeping mother. 

The small family stopped off on a ledge below a road around 13,000 feet above sea level in the Indian Himalayas. There are less than 10,000 snow leopards left in the wild, with their species listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. 

The cubs would climb vertically down the rock-face and stare up at either some snow pigeons or the photographer

One of the youngsters is seen above expertly moving across the rocks. Scenes like this are very rare, said the photographer

One of the leopards peers cautiously at photographer Vikram Singh before yawning. He said that they can’t have been afraid of him as they allowed him to be nearby for six hours

Photographer Vikram Singh, who has run ten tours searching for the big cats, said it was the first time he had ever seen a young family together.

‘In all my years of guiding and interacting with some of the most experienced snow leopard spotters and park guides I have never heard of an instance where someone has observed and photographed a family of snow leopards so close for so long,’ he said.

‘This site was also a fairly unusual place to spot them, as it was down a mountain slope where they could have easily gone unnoticed.

‘It seemed they were well fed and had come to rest for the day at a place which would have kept them hidden from the other wildlife and prey.’

The mother pictured on the ledge with her two leopards around 13,000 feet above sea level in the Indian Himalayas

One of the cubs nimbly pulls itself along the rock face while staring straight at the photographer

‘In all my years of guiding and interacting with some of the most experienced snow leopard spotters and park guides I have never heard of an instance where someone has observed and photographed a family of snow leopards so close for so long’

One of the leopards peers inquisitively at the cameraman from the safety of their rocky ledge. There are 10,000 in the wild

The mother took a break from parenthood as she slept for six hours while her small cubs explored the area

He said the mother slept for the six hours she was on the ledge, while her cubs clambered vertically over broken rocks and moved directly below him. 

‘They would walk down vertically from the broken rocks where they rested and then walk on a rock face in my direction just below me,’ he said.

‘Besides me and the cats, there were some snow pigeons perched between the two of us which would also attract their attention.

‘So, they would walk staring towards me or the Pigeons, then change direction when they got too close.

‘I was sitting behind my large camera bag, with around a metre of snow all around. I sat as still as I could for the time I was there. At no point was I afraid of the cats, I just didn’t want them to get disturbed and leave.

‘The sign that the mother slept peacefully close by, opening her eyes every once in a while to look at me was an indicator that they did not feel threatened in my presence.’

One of the leopards is pictured above planning its next move as it makes its way through the snow in the area

The mother occasionally looked up, the photographer said, which was probably to ensure her youngsters were still safe 

He had received a tip off that the family were there while getting snow chains fitted to his vehicle, and quickly scrambled down to take a look. The guide has been offering tours in the mountains since 2008.

He waited to take the photos in -20 degree Celsius temperatures and biting winds.