by Celia

Through the mountains, a sleek body

A long tail, swishing like leaves in a light breeze

White spotted fur like the snow she walks on

Blue eyes like a cold winter day and short rounded ears

She looks around sharply for the rare prey that dares the steep ravines

A small round fluffy cub comes rolling out of the den, followed by her sibling

Their warm breath steams in the frigid air

A quick breath and a glance around is all they get before they are gone

Back to the heart of the mountains

Walking up the snow-covered path to the lake, our final destination, we look carefully for prints.  The Rolwaling Valley is a known habitat for snow leopards and we are hoping to see them.  I hear mom call us up and grow excited wondering if she spotted one.  But no.  Instead, there are tracks in the snow, cat tracks. Or maybe… Snow leopard tracks!  They look fresh, possibly only a day old or so.  We study them closer, then look around for more.  There!  A couple more in the snow on the trail.  Soon, we find the snow leopard’s entire path.  Further below, we had seen scat but didn’t know if it was snow leopard. We had also seen 6 wildlife cameras and wondered if they were for these elusive creatures. Now, here is our proof.

Snow leopards are considered vulnerable and are only found in 12 countries in Asia, including Nepal. Unfortunately, humans are the main cause of their decline, specifically illegal poaching and habitat loss. Because of the strain on their habitat, snow leopards are forced closer to villages where they hunt domestic goats and sheep. This angers the herders so they kill the snow leopards.

At 14,000 feet, surrounded by some of the biggest peaks in the world, Rolwaling valley is the perfect place for these beautiful creatures. Although we didn’t see any, I can imagine them, their soft padded paws running over dusty snow, their sleek spotted fur rippling as they move, their long tails helping them balance on the steep slopes. I am so grateful that I had this opportunity and will keep it with me forever.