In a captivating moment for wildlife lovers, two snow leopards were recently captured on camera playing in the snow-covered Zanskar region of Ladakh. IAS officer Supriya Sahu posted the video on social media, which was originally shot by tour operator Tashi Tsewang. The rare footage offers a stunning glimpse of these elusive creatures, often referred to as the “ghosts of the mountains.”
Ms. Sahu described the sight as a “fleeting dance of wild joy,” a poetic description of the grace and playfulness of the movements of the snow leopards. The clip depicts the beautiful animals leaping and running across the landscape as they cut through the white hues of the snowy habitat.
Online world reacts to rare wild-life moment
The video has left everybody speechless. Social media users have been complimenting the beauty of the video. “Superb and graceful,” a user commented, while another called Zanskar “almost Paradise.”A third highlighted the rarity of such footage, saying, “One of the rare videos of leopards playing in the snow. Beautiful to the eyes.”
WATCH THE VIRAL VIDEO:
A fleeting dance of wild joy – Snow leopards somewhere in Zanskar valley in Ladakh
🎥 tashizkr pic.twitter.com/gkZ8pmDbZM
— Supriya Sahu IAS (@supriyasahuias) January 6, 2025
The Snow Leopard: A Rare and Threatened Species
Snow leopards are the residents of the high-altitude, rugged mountainous terrain of Central and South Asia. In India, they mainly reside in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. The country has 718 snow leopards as per the nationwide survey. These are highly concentrated in the western Himalayas.
These solitary and efficient predators can weigh prey up to three times their own body weight and thrive in some of the toughest terrains on Earth. Poaching for snow leopards‘ skin, bones, and other body parts threatens them to such an extent that conservation is critical.
A Reminder of Nature’s Fragility
The rare sighting of snow leopards in Ladakh reminds us to preserve their habitat. With fewer opportunities to witness such breathtaking moments, videos like these highlight the need to protect these magnificent creatures and their ecosystems for future generations.
