WATCH: Snow Leopard Spotted In Spiti Valley | A group of tourists traveling along the Spiti Valley Road on May 5 experienced what many wildlife enthusiasts only dream of — a rare snow leopard sighting in broad daylight. The breathtaking moment was captured on camera by Jatin Gupta, who later shared the now-viral video on Instagram.
The sighting occurred about 8–10 kilometers past Tabo, as the group was driving from Kaza to Nako. In the video, the snow leopard is seen calmly walking along the road, seemingly unbothered by the presence of the vehicle following it at a safe distance.“These rare creatures are hardly ever seen, especially in May. It stood there calmly, blending into the rocky Spiti landscape. Truly a magical moment of our journey,” Gupta wrote in the caption of his Instagram post.
Text overlay on the clip reads, “A rare encounter on the Spiti Valley Road,” while a voice in the background can be heard saying, “We are so lucky.”
The footage has captured the attention of wildlife lovers across social media platforms, with many users expressing both amazement and appreciation for the group’s respectful behavior during the encounter.“Spotting a snow leopard is very tough and you saw it while sitting in your car,” commented one user.
Watch the viral video here:
View this post on Instagram
ALSO READ: Robot revolt? Humanoid attacks handlers in chinese factory
“Appreciate the fact that these guys maintained a healthy distance with the cat,” another added.
However, the sighting has also sparked discussions among wildlife observers, as snow leopards are typically seen at higher altitudes during winter. One expert commented:“That’s a sighting of a lifetime. But a little too surprising for a leopard to be roaming at such lower altitudes in this season. Must be old or frail, could be signs of old age or an injury.”
Snow leopards are listed as vulnerable species and are notoriously elusive due to their remote and rugged habitats. Spotting one in Spiti in May — a time when they usually remain hidden — makes this encounter all the more extraordinary.
