North Chinese Leopard (Panthera pardus japonensis)

[Luipaard]

"North China leopard in Tibet. 
This subspecies of common leopard lives in the same habitat and at the same altitudes as the snow leopard, in massifs between 4000 and 5000 meters. This leopard is much more massive than the snow leopard, a shepherd told me that he had killed one of his yaks the day before, in the early morning he is still there. This is the first time that this leopard subspecies has been photographed without the use of a camera trap!! He reminds us that this leopard is only known in a small, very fragmented repair area in China, it would not be more than 500 individuals. This male seems a young adult in the prime of life, he is powerful but very discreet. Sheepdogs compete with him for his prey, which he defends for a day before disappearing. How lucky, I had to wait 6 months in this massif to make this unique encounter. Without the help of the shepherds I might not have photographed it."

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

*This image is copyright of its original author

Frédéric Larrey - Photo Reply