A joint Russian-Mongolian expedition has captured the first-ever photographs of snow leopards in a remote part of the Altai Mountains.

Scientists climbed to altitudes of up to 4,000 meters to post ten “photo-trap” cameras on Chikhachyova Ridge, on the Russia-Mongolia border. The area is believed to be home to about 15 of the elusive predators.

Two snow leopards were photographed by the motion-sensitive cameras between October 26 and 30. One of them was captured in the daylight, which is unusual, because the predator prefers to hunt in the dusk. The camera also captured a Manul, or Pallas’s cat, as well as snowcocks, a wolverine, steppe polecat, stoat, and Siberian ibex.

Although it bears the name “leopard,” snow leopards are actually more closely related to tigers. Their exact numbers in the wild are unknown, but the cross-border population on Chikhachyova is believed to be a key to maintaining continuity of habitat between groups in Mongolia and Russia.

The project is a joint effort by Russian and Mongolian wildlife reserves, WWF branches in both countries, and the Snow Leopard Conservancy, an international NGO.
To see the pictures, go to http://www.wwf.ru/news/eng/article/8973.