Studying the Ghost of the Mountain
Posted on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
Snow leopards are a creature that many people know little about. They’re not uncommon in zoos, but until the Planet Earth series aired a few years ago, you almost never saw them on mainstream television. But if people have heard anything about snow leopards, it’s often their near-mythic elusiveness. Peter Matthiessen’s book “The Snow Leopard,” in which he chronicles his 250-mile journey into the Himalayas with renowned conservationist George Schaller in search of the elusive cat, contributes to this perception.
So as a snow leopard biologist I’m frequently asked the question, “Is it frustrating to study an animal that you might not ever see?”
I suppose I should start by saying that it’s true that these cats are incredibly difficult to see in the wild, even when you know they are there. They are so well camouflaged that they literally seem to disappear into their surroundings. A few weeks ago I gave a talk for a third-grade class at a local elementary school. The kids went wild when I showed them a photo and asked them to try to spot the snow leopard. Take a look at this photo and try it for yourself.
Did you find the snow leopard? If not, don’t worry. You’re in good company! None of the kids in the class could spot it, either. If you think you’ve found it, or have given up trying, take a peek at the photo below to see if you’re right. If you look closely you can just make out the cat’s face peering intently at you.
In case you’re wondering how in the world I managed to spot and photograph this snow leopard, it’s Aztai, the cat we radio-collared at our study site in Mongolia back in June. The photo was taken just after we released him when he had moved a short distance up the canyon.
For me, studying an animal this difficult to see just adds to their mystique and makes those rare occasions when you do see the cats all the more extraordinary. And I know I’m not alone in admiring snow leopards because of this sense of intrigue. The photo of Aztai inspired, Mia, one of the children in the class, to send me a drawing. I think she did an incredible job of depicting the elusive nature of the snow leopard that has captured the imagination of people for centuries.
Kim Murray is an Inspired Mountain Ambassador and assistant director of science for the Snow Leopard Trust. The group is working to conserve snow leopards by answering fundamental ecological questions about this elusive and little-studied cat.
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