Tropical Birding Virtual Tour Snow Leopard (Ladakh, India) by Ken Behrens

Описание: For more see: http://www.tropicalbirding.com/asia-t...

Ladakh is one of India’s hidden gems. While the tiger parks of central India, and the Taj Mahal in Rajasthan, are indeed worthy of the multitude of accolades thrown their way; to overlook Ladakh, in the extremities of the north, would be an unfortunate oversight for the nature lover with a cultural bent. This region is set within some of the most impressive mountain landscapes that the subcontinent has to offer, drawing apt comparisons with the magical scenery once a honeypot for adventure-seeking tourists in the 70s-90s in neighboring Nepal. In addition to the Himalayan mountains being a draw unto themselves, there lives one of the most fabled creatures on Earth, the Snow Leopard, a cat as impressive as the landscapes in which it exists. Formerly one of wildlife’s ‘Holy Grails’, this heavy-coated cat has become suddenly visible in recent years, with the development of expert local trackers, and an ever-increasing knowledge of the natural history of the species. While a relatively recent form of tourism, it has grown fast, and thus it is no longer compulsory to ensure the hardship of camping during the Himalayan winter in order to see them. Simple, heated lodges with a ready supply of hot water, and plentiful electricity have now made this a more comfortable experience than ever before in very recent years, and opened up this beautiful region, and its premier feline target, to many that would formerly not have been able to come.

Ladakh is one of India’s hidden gems. While the tiger parks of central India, and the Taj Mahal in Rajasthan, are indeed worthy of the multitude of accolades thrown their way; to overlook Ladakh, in the extremities of the north, would be an unfortunate oversight for the nature lover with a cultural bent. This region is set within some of the most impressive mountain landscapes that the subcontinent has to offer, drawing apt comparisons with the magical scenery once a honeypot for adventure-seeking tourists in the 70s-90s in neighboring Nepal. In addition to the Himalayan mountains being a draw unto themselves, there lives one of the most fabled creatures on Earth, the Snow Leopard, a cat as impressive as the landscapes in which it exists. Formerly one of wildlife’s ‘Holy Grails’, this heavy-coated cat has become suddenly visible in recent years, with the development of expert local trackers, and an ever-increasing knowledge of the natural history of the species. While a relatively recent form of tourism, it has grown fast, and thus it is no longer compulsory to ensure the hardship of camping during the Himalayan winter in order to see them. Simple, heated lodges with a ready supply of hot water, and plentiful electricity have now made this a more comfortable experience than ever before in very recent years, and opened up this beautiful region, and its premier feline target, to many that would formerly not have been able to come.