A quick-thinking Chinese photographer has captured this extremely rare footage of a snow leopard after it ran off when he spotted it feeding, but was filmed anyway after he deliberately left his camera behind in the hope it would return.
The stunt meant that the cameraman captured the moment that the snow leopard, a national first-class protected animal, returned to finish its meal.
The mesmerizing animal was spotted at an altitude of 4,050 meters (13,000 feet) in the Gnieshen Mountain in Litang County, in China’s Sichuan Province, on 14th November.
Allegedly, the snow leopard was gnawing on its prey at the time before the video was taken, but as soon as it noticed the photographer, it left.
Credit: Ganzi Release/Newsflash
The photographer then placed the phone on the rock and quickly left the scene.
On the short video that was shared online, the snow leopard can be seen suspiciously approaching the camera and taking a curious look at it, flaunting its luscious white fur and beautiful eyes.
Footage of snow leopards is so rare that local media claim this is the first time they have actually been filmed in China ever.
The snow leopard has been marked vulnerable to extinction since its global population is only 10.000 or less and it’s predicted to continue to decline.
It is found in six Chinese provinces including Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Xinjiang, as well as Tibet.
Its habitat is a region of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, rivers, lakes, grassland forests, wetland hot springs and other natural beauties and it is known to be extremely shy of human contact.
The snow leopard, a national first-class protected animal recorded in the Gnieshen Mountain in Litang County, Sichuan Province 
The snow leopard, a national first-class protected animal recorded in the Gnieshen Mountain in Litang County, Sichuan Province
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Story By: Simona Spirkoska, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency: Newsflash
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