Tourists captured an unusual encounter with a rare predator while ascending in the mountains of Almaty: a snow leopard unexpectedly appeared right on the trail where people were walking, reports infohub.kz.
A dog was with the group and began barking at the animal. In the footage, the snow leopard can be seen standing calmly on the slope, watching the scene, while the tourists try to keep their distance and at the same time pull the dog away.
"Don't go over there! Don't touch the dog!" a voice can be heard saying off-camera.
Upon seeing the predator, the video's authors were clearly taken aback at first, then began admiring the animal.
"What a beauty! You're my beauty," a woman says off-camera.
At the same time, the tourists repeatedly remind each other not to provoke the leopard. According to the authors of the post, after some time other tourists approached this section. The leopard calmly walked higher up the slope. When the dog spotted it again and started barking, the people were able to retrieve it and continue their descent.
The tourists decided not to disclose the exact location of the encounter. They explained that the snow leopard is a rare and valuable animal, and publishing the coordinates could attract people to the site and harm the predator.
In the comments, users admired the unexpected encounter and the snow leopard's appearance. Many called the animal beautiful and majestic, while some joked that such a moment was worth years of hiking in the mountains. The video's author replied that in nine years, this was her first such encounter.
"Oh, how beautiful he is! He blends into the mountain landscape, and so majestic! Thank you for the video."
"Wow."
"Just don't specify the location, please. There are some members of our species, unfortunately, who can only harm him," users write.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that in Altyn-Emel National Park, camera traps recorded snow leopards several times during scientific field research. The rare predators moved in their natural environment and came to a watering hole.