WWF Camera Catches Snow Leopard in Bhutan
WWF charity officials were over the moon when one of their night vision camera captured a snow leopard going about it’s business in the Wangchuck Centennial Park in Bhutan, India’s largest protected area. These amazing images below were taken at the end of 2011 through a camera trap, used to study many different endangered species, including the Tibetan wolf, the musk deer, and of course the amazing snow leopard!
The camera filmed both predator and prey, showing that this protected area is now a key refuge for Himalayan biodiversity, and must be properly protected to ensure the many different endangered animals that call this area home are looked after. The Wangchuck Centennial Park connects two protected areas covering the entire northern frontier of Bhutan, linking the Himalayan landscape in Nepal and India.
There are thought to be as little 4,500 snow leopards left on the planet due to poaching and loss of habitat, with climate change resulting in the loss of as much as 30% of the snow leopards habitat in the Himalayas.
WWF research team leader, Dr. Rinjan Shrestha, said –
It’s thrilling to actually see snow leopards—perhaps the most elusive of all the mountain species in the Himalayas—engage in behaviour we would otherwise only read about.
Adopt a Snow Leopard with WWF UK
The WWF is a non profit organisation who can only sustain their tireless work in saving the planet and its inhabitants through donations. You can help raise funds through the WWF Adopt a Snow Leopard scheme.
From as little as £3 a month you receive a certificate, a print of your animal, a greetings card, and a soft toy that would make a fantastic charity gift for a loved one.
