Snow Leopard Stalk — Ladakh Ridge Hunt
380.53 $
A snow leopard moving along a Ladakhi ridge in the Hemis National Park at 4,800 metres — the grey coat perfectly matching the lichen-covered granite, the tail carried in the characteristic high arc, prey detection posture.
Description
Snow leopard photography in Ladakh requires weeks of acclimatised observation at altitude — the photographers and researchers who have documented this image did so over a 12-day winter field camp at 4,800 metres on a ridge known to be within the territory of a GPS-collared female. This image captures the animal in active prey-search posture: moving along the ridge in the slow methodical walk of a stalking cat, tail held in the high arc that is the species’ most distinctive physical characteristic, nose low and head sweeping in scent-detection mode. The grey-white spotted pelage blends almost perfectly with the lichen-covered granite of the ridge surface at distances beyond 40 metres. Shot at 1/2000 second on a 600mm prime at f/4 from a distance of 80 metres from a prone observation position, the image maintains full eye and fur detail in the sharp focus zone.
