it was the hardest story I’ve ever done physically because of the altitude and
physically because of the altitude and
physically because of the altitude and the steepness of the mountains visually
the steepness of the mountains visually
the steepness of the mountains visually it looks like you’re on the moon the
it looks like you’re on the moon the
it looks like you’re on the moon the cats very shy and elusive they can see
cats very shy and elusive they can see
cats very shy and elusive they can see for very long distances we are
for very long distances we are
for very long distances we are constantly scanning with binoculars to
constantly scanning with binoculars to
constantly scanning with binoculars to try to see them and I would be of the
try to see them and I would be of the
try to see them and I would be of the opinion that they’re looking to see us
I myself brought 33 bags with me of
I myself brought 33 bags with me of equipment sleeping bags warm clothes I
equipment sleeping bags warm clothes I
equipment sleeping bags warm clothes I mean you think of what move so you know
mean you think of what move so you know
mean you think of what move so you know we moved from Delhi and then Delhi up to
we moved from Delhi and then Delhi up to
we moved from Delhi and then Delhi up to lay the capital of Ladakh this is what
lay the capital of Ladakh this is what
lay the capital of Ladakh this is what we’re gonna start our Snow Leopard
we’re gonna start our Snow Leopard
we’re gonna start our Snow Leopard expedition we’ll be here a few days to
expedition we’ll be here a few days to
expedition we’ll be here a few days to acclimate to the altitudes at 12,000
acclimate to the altitudes at 12,000
acclimate to the altitudes at 12,000 feet and then got the bags into where
feet and then got the bags into where
feet and then got the bags into where the road ends by truck and Jeep and then
the road ends by truck and Jeep and then
the road ends by truck and Jeep and then we had to load everything on horseback
we had to load everything on horseback
we had to load everything on horseback and walk in we took in 14 remote cameras
and walk in we took in 14 remote cameras
and walk in we took in 14 remote cameras and a whole camp tents sleeping bags
and a whole camp tents sleeping bags
and a whole camp tents sleeping bags Cod’s pads we bought food from the US
Cod’s pads we bought food from the US
Cod’s pads we bought food from the US and then we lost some
and then we lost some
and then we lost some at night it was 30 below zero and I’ve
at night it was 30 below zero and I’ve
at night it was 30 below zero and I’ve spent my whole career working in jungles
spent my whole career working in jungles
spent my whole career working in jungles so this was a real switch for me we
so this was a real switch for me we
so this was a real switch for me we looked for locations with the help of
looked for locations with the help of
looked for locations with the help of the local people that worked with the
the local people that worked with the
the local people that worked with the snow leopard NGOs they had already ID’d
snow leopard NGOs they had already ID’d
snow leopard NGOs they had already ID’d locations where the cat comes to mark
locations where the cat comes to mark
locations where the cat comes to mark the new drag force Molly for Lucas you
the new drag force Molly for Lucas you
the new drag force Molly for Lucas you know they’re female 1 this is the last
know they’re female 1 this is the last
know they’re female 1 this is the last two days you know very first step can
two days you know very first step can
two days you know very first step can see someone who knows pain here with
see someone who knows pain here with
see someone who knows pain here with this knowledge we were able to find
this knowledge we were able to find
this knowledge we were able to find locations to set up cameras where we
locations to set up cameras where we
locations to set up cameras where we knew that cats would come to visit once
knew that cats would come to visit once
knew that cats would come to visit once we knew we were having success in like a
we knew we were having success in like a
we knew we were having success in like a specific trail 11 then I would I quote
specific trail 11 then I would I quote
specific trail 11 then I would I quote mind that trail with remote cameras ok
mind that trail with remote cameras ok
mind that trail with remote cameras ok put the caps on get the Rope up we’re
put the caps on get the Rope up we’re
put the caps on get the Rope up we’re done
it’s very interesting for people to
it’s very interesting for people to realize that no matter where you’re
realize that no matter where you’re
realize that no matter where you’re working with animals if there’s a trail
working with animals if there’s a trail
working with animals if there’s a trail in the jungle that’s where the cats will
in the jungle that’s where the cats will
in the jungle that’s where the cats will walk they may not hunt on that trail
walk they may not hunt on that trail
walk they may not hunt on that trail because they’re going to hunt wherever
because they’re going to hunt wherever
because they’re going to hunt wherever they need to go where the scent is for
they need to go where the scent is for
they need to go where the scent is for the prey but they will walk on these
the prey but they will walk on these
the prey but they will walk on these trails and you will see areas that
trails and you will see areas that
trails and you will see areas that they’ll mark
the first image is a curious cat behind
the first image is a curious cat behind him is the trail he’s looking up to see
him is the trail he’s looking up to see
him is the trail he’s looking up to see what the flash is and it says flashing
what the flash is and it says flashing
what the flash is and it says flashing him in the face of flash twice he turned
him in the face of flash twice he turned
him in the face of flash twice he turned around any walked away the next image is
around any walked away the next image is
around any walked away the next image is on a high ridge this is a cat at a
on a high ridge this is a cat at a
on a high ridge this is a cat at a marking spot where they spray to really
marking spot where they spray to really
marking spot where they spray to really give their scent to that location they
give their scent to that location they
give their scent to that location they mark to tell other snow leopards this is
mark to tell other snow leopards this is
mark to tell other snow leopards this is my area
my area
my area not yours the next image is very
not yours the next image is very
not yours the next image is very important to me and it took five and a
important to me and it took five and a
important to me and it took five and a half months to get one picture but I
half months to get one picture but I
half months to get one picture but I loved this image with the mountains in
loved this image with the mountains in
loved this image with the mountains in the background and had the closeness of
the background and had the closeness of
the background and had the closeness of the animal it’s very intimate to me I
the animal it’s very intimate to me I
the animal it’s very intimate to me I feel like I can just reach out and
feel like I can just reach out and
feel like I can just reach out and Stroke is fur though he’d bite me this
Stroke is fur though he’d bite me this
Stroke is fur though he’d bite me this is where the Snow Leopard lives he does
is where the Snow Leopard lives he does
is where the Snow Leopard lives he does not roam the open areas except for
not roam the open areas except for
not roam the open areas except for following prey he will sit in the rocks
following prey he will sit in the rocks
following prey he will sit in the rocks so he’s camouflaged and one of the
so he’s camouflaged and one of the
so he’s camouflaged and one of the reasons the Snow Leopard has such a long
reasons the Snow Leopard has such a long
reasons the Snow Leopard has such a long tail which is the longest tail of any
tail which is the longest tail of any
tail which is the longest tail of any cat in the world is that when he’s on
cat in the world is that when he’s on
cat in the world is that when he’s on those rocky areas and the blue sheep
those rocky areas and the blue sheep
those rocky areas and the blue sheep come in to feed on the small plants that
come in to feed on the small plants that
come in to feed on the small plants that are in the rocks he will chase them an
are in the rocks he will chase them an
are in the rocks he will chase them an almost vertical rock faces and he uses
almost vertical rock faces and he uses
almost vertical rock faces and he uses the tail for balance
the tail for balance
the tail for balance we look at the snow leopard as being in
we look at the snow leopard as being in
we look at the snow leopard as being in danger
danger
danger in 2005 the Dalai Lama organized a
in 2005 the Dalai Lama organized a
in 2005 the Dalai Lama organized a campaign to help save Himalayan species
campaign to help save Himalayan species
campaign to help save Himalayan species to grow a greater respect towards the
to grow a greater respect towards the
to grow a greater respect towards the environment and all forms of life on
environment and all forms of life on
environment and all forms of life on Earth and so he’s essentially saving the
Earth and so he’s essentially saving the
Earth and so he’s essentially saving the Snow Leopard
”
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