Photographer’s Perilous Journey to Capture Elusive Snow Leopard

Photographer’s Perilous Journey to Capture Elusive Snow Leopard

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A photographer flew into the world’s deadliest airport and backpacked 103 miles in the Himilayas to capture the world’s most elusive big cat.

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American photographer Kittiya Pawlowski had to climb to 5,486 meters above sea level (18,000 feet) to capture snow leopards in Nepal.

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“From time to time, blue sheep will pass through our village, but we try to keep them away since they attract snow leopards.”

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It was here where Pawlowski came across the first sign of the elusive cat, finding fresh tracks in the mud. “It had rained the previous week, making these tracks fairly fresh,” writes Pawlowski on her website.

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Her destination was Lukla, the world’s most dangerous airport. Carved into the side of a mountain, there have been several deadly crashes over the past two decades.

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Pawlowski was there in October at the end of the monsoon season when she had to endure downpours and snowstorms.

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