Photographer Captures Hardly ever Seen Enjoyable Facet Of World’s Most Elusive Wild Cat

As a wildlife photographer, Rémi Vacher just lately acquired to meet a lifelong dream — capturing gorgeous pictures of the world’s most elusive wild cat species within the rugged terrain of the Indian Himalayas.

“I was in an expedition … to look for snow leopards,” Vacher instructed The Dodo. “I definitely came with the purpose of finding and photographing snow leopards.”

Vacher was profitable in his mission, returning house with quite a few stunning photos of snow leopards in the wild.

But it additionally got here with some pleasant surprises.

One day on his journey, Vacher watched from afar as a snow leopard he’d been monitoring got here into full view on a snowy mountainside.

“Just seeing her walking in this deep snow was beautiful, because often you see them in a more cluttered landscape,” Vacher mentioned.

But then right away, the sudden occurred — the snow leopard started to play.

Jumping and sliding by the snow with no obvious objective however her personal enjoyment, the snow leopard appeared delighted with life.

“When she started doing that, I couldn’t believe it,” Vacher mentioned. “I’d never seen that behavior before, and the team that was with me (snow leopard experts) had never seen it before either!”

The scene revealed a playful facet to a species nonetheless largely shrouded in thriller.

Snow leopards face a number of threats, together with habitat loss and poaching. Vacher hopes his images — each the haunting and the amusing — will function a reminder of the significance of defending them.

“It is a very endangered species that requires so much attention, which is why it is very close to my heart,” Vacher mentioned. “Many people don’t know what a snow leopard is, so bringing attention to them is my role, as they are not easily accessible. The more people know, the more people care.”

Vacher continues:

“And I think somehow seeing a snow leopard enjoying herself can remind us that life is short and it is important to enjoy every moment.”