A rare snow leopard attacked a tourist in northwestern China on Friday as he tried to get close to it for a photo, authorities and state media said.
The tourist, a skier, was bitten while returning to his hotel in Koktokai town in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, according to the county’s Forestry and Grassland Bureau.
They spotted the snow leopard – one of the world’s most elusive wildlife – getting out of their car and approached to take a photo before attacking, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Video footage circulating on social media shows tourists lying motionless on the snowy ground, with a leopard sitting nearby. Another video shows two bystanders helping an injured tourist to safety, his face pressed under a ski helmet.
A voice was heard asking if the leopard had left, to which one of the bystanders replied, “It has gone.” Further clips show the leopard moving through deep snow in an outdoor area, with trees and rocks in the background.
The tourist was taken to a hospital, where his condition is stable, the forest department said. He added that local governments have stepped up safety patrols and public awareness activities.
“The public and tourists are urged to strictly adhere to safety guidelines and if they encounter wild animals, keep a safe distance and call the police immediately to ensure their own safety,” it said in an online notice.
Native to Central and South Asia, the snow leopard is a nationally protected species in China and a symbol of China’s mountainous and highland ecosystems. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), there are only 4,000 to 6,500 individuals left worldwide, and 60% of their habitat is in China.
According to WWF, this reclusive cat with thick whitish-gray fur that blends in with its surroundings lives in high rocky mountains, some of the harshest conditions on Earth.
According to reports from various wildlife groups, wildlife experts and Chinese state media, little is known about snow leopards attacking humans. A 2020 study surveyed 261 pastoralists in Mongolia, another common habitat for snow leopards. Although many people reported seeing snow leopards or having their livestock attacked by snow leopards, no one reported attacks on humans.
