- A snow leopard hunt was filmed in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley by Andres Novales
- The leopard attacked a large male ibex near a steep gorge during a tense prolonged hunt
- The ibex fought back, sprinting toward the cliff while the leopard clung on closely
A dramatic snow leopard hunt, captured on video in the high-altitude village of Kibber in Himachal Pradesh's Spiti Valley, is going viral on social media. The man who caught the fight on camera has described it as the most "best wildlife moment" of his life. In a long Instagram post, Andres Novales said he shot the footage on the final afternoon of his stay in Kibber, after the region had remained snowbound for two days due to a heavy snowstorm. When the clouds finally lifted, the valley lay buried under a thick blanket of fresh snow, creating rare viewing conditions in one of the world's most hostile wildlife habitats.
Watch the video:
According to the Instagram post accompanying the video, the photographer spotted the same adult female snow leopard he had observed days earlier. Leaving her two cubs at the bottom of a steep gorge, the leopard climbed alone to higher ground, where a herd of ibex was grazing.
What followed was a tense and prolonged hunt. The leopard was seen moving slowly and silently across the snow, closing in on the herd with intense focus. She singled out the largest male ibex and launched her attack at close range.
"At first, it looked like she might bring him down quickly. But the ibex fought back," said Novales, describing the experience as his video clocked more than eight lakh views.
“He broke into a full sprint, running straight toward the cliff, with the leopard still attached to his back. They slipped and crashed multiple times, rolling through rocks and snow. Neither of them let go,” the user further said.
The post describes how both the animals reached dangerously close to the edge of the gorge. A single misstep could have sent both animals plunging to their deaths. In the final moments, the leopard lost her grip, allowing the ibex to break free and escape.
“That split second allowed the ibex to change direction and escape. She chased him briefly, but the hunt was over,” said Novales.
Social media users were in awe and said the footage is incredible.
“How crazy is that?! Wow!!! And well done on capturing the whole scene start to finish,” one user commented.
“That is bloody incredible, what an encounter!! That's as wild as it gets dude, so stoked for you,” said another user.
The photographer said those watching stood in stunned silence, trying to process what they had witnessed. While he has documented wildlife for years, he described this encounter as unmatched - a raw reminder of both the brutality and fragility of survival in the high Himalayas.
