Spotted! Seeing the elusive snow leopard in its natural habitat is a highlight of any wildlife enthusiast's travels. (All photos courtesy of Lungmar Remote Camp)
CHARUKESI RAMADURAI
It is just before noon and the cold has seeped through my multiple layers of warm clothing. The temperature is minus 15 C (not counting the wind-chill factor), and the altitude is 3,700 meters. I have been on top of this hill in the northern Indian territory of Ladakh for more than four hours, waiting for an elusive snow leopard to emerge from his resting place on a neighboring hill.
The leopard had made a tantalizing short appearance earlier in the morning, before vanishing for a snooze. Abdul Rashid, a naturalist and the owner of Lungmar Remote Camp, where I am staying, hears my frustrated sigh, and says calmly, "He'll be back, don't worry." Rashid should know -- as a Ladakh local who has grown up seeing snow leopards in his backyard, he has spent much of his life observing the beautiful big cats and showing them to travelers like me.