Think you can spot the leopard? You’ve snow chance!

Think you can spot the leopard? You’ve snow chance! Predator blends into the background as it hunts in India

• A photographer captured the perfect shots of a snow leopard in the Himalayas 
• The elusive animal is also known as ‘Grey Ghost’ in Himalayan villages 
• Images were captured near the world’s highest village in Himachal Pradesh 

By Sophie Tanno For Mailonline

Published: 15:17 BST, 16 April 2020 | Updated: 15:25 BST, 16 April 2020

A photographer has taken the perfect shot of an elusive snow leopard blended in the mountains of Himalayas and staring at the camera – but you might not be able to spot him.

Saurabh Desai, 38, from Gujarat in western India took the amazing pictures of the biggest wild cat near the world’s highest village Kibbar in Himachal Pradesh in northern India. 

Saurabh waited for three years to spot the elusive animal also known as ‘Grey Ghost’ in Himalayan villages. 

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A photographer has taken the perfect shot of an elusive snow leopard blended in the mountains of Himalayas

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Saurabh waited for three years to spot the elusive animal-the biggest cat also known as ‘Grey Ghost’ in Himalayan villages

Reminiscing the old adage, Saurabh said, ‘I wanted to capture the animal the way local people have described it…they say that often they don’t see the ‘Shan’ (local language for snow leopard) but ‘Shan’ always sees them.

‘I was very keen to portray this animal in its own environment perfectly camouflaged which is an important skill that helps it in hunting.’

The intrepid photographer even risked his life as he stood on the edge of a cliff when he spotted the leopard’s piercing gaze as its body perfectly camouflaged in the snowy and rocky background. 

A mechanical engineer turned full-time photographer, Saurabh is concerned about the impact of climate change on snow leopards, the total population of which is estimated at less than 2,500 adults worldwide.

They typically live at elevations of around 3,000- 5,000 meters in arid and semi-arid shrubland and grassland across Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Russia and Tajikistan.

‘We need to save this animal and many other like this species.

‘Changing climate, increasing population of stray dogs, uneducated and increased tourism in such regions should be controlled.

‘Local authorities are well aware of these things and are gradually taking necessary steps for certain issues but we being in different parts of country can at least spread awareness about such critical issues of wildlife,’ he said. 

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