- Adorable baby snow leopard bears a striking resemblance to much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh character Tigger
- The five-month-old youngster was spotted performing the joyous antics at the Triple D Ranch in Montana
- Californian nature watcher Shayne McGuire, who took the shots, said she was astonished by the cub’s energy
This little feline critter was caught on camera bouncing around with an apparently endless supply of energy.
The adorable baby snow leopard bears a striking resemblance to much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh character Tigger as it jumps and even seems to use its tail as a spring.
The five-month-old cub was spotted performing the antics at the Triple D Ranch in Montana, USA by Californian nature watcher Shayne McGuire.
She said she was struck by the youngster’s spirit.
McGuire explained: ‘Being a young cub, Mystique is all about playtime.
‘She has a furry toy that she chases and “attacks”, she loves jumping up or out and landing on it.
‘I know that younger animals have a lot of energy but I was taken aback by the height she could jump to and how far she could jump out.’
The adorable baby snow leopard bears a striking resemblance to much-loved Winnie-the-Pooh character Tigger as it jumps and even seems to use its tail as a spring. Shayne McGuire, who photographed the feline at the Triple D Ranch in Montana, said: ‘I had a smile on my face and missed a few jumps, just wanting to watch her play. Not many people can say they have been able to witness something like this’
Snow leopards are poached for their fur and the Triple D Ranch runs an accredited breeding program to help keep the endangered animals’ numbers up. The snow leopard is a large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central and South Asia. Pictured: Young Mystique doing her finest Tigger impression
Photographer Shayne McGuire added: ‘I didn’t know I had captured that moment. I showed friends and the word Tigger was what all of them said when viewing it. To be able to witness and young snow leopard, with no bars or cage, enjoying itself in the field, will be a moment I get to carry with me. Just watching the hunting instincts kick in, reminds one that when she gets older, I will not be this close again’
Snow leopards are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species because the species’ global population is estimated to contain fewer than 10,000 mature individuals. It is also predicted to decline about 10 per cent in the next 23 years
As of 2016, the full global population was estimated at 4,500 to 8,745 mature individuals. Pictured left: The young cub bouncing about – apparently using its tail to aid its lunges. Right: Tigger bouncing on his tail