A chilling video has captured the moment a snow leopard looms over an immobile skier it had just pounced on. Startling details have emerged from China, where a tourist skiing in Xinjiang province, an autonomous region in the north-west of the country, was reportedly attacked by the predator as she made her way back to her hotel.
The incident took place around 7 pm last Friday (January 23) in Koktokay Township, located within the Talat Village area. Disturbing footage of the event, which surfaced on social media, shows the leopard seemingly standing guard over the victim.
Another clip from the video, shared by 8world, depicts the leopard leaping through the snow, while other scenes show individuals assisting the woman to stand up and move away from the perilous situation. She can be seen covering her face with her hands, blood evident on her clothing, amidst shouts from those around her. It was reported that the skier first spotted the leopard and tried to take a photo, but the animal was too far away for a clear shot.
Despite warnings from others, she decided to approach the wild creature, coming within approximately three meters of it, only to be attacked and bitten on the face by the leopard.
Following the assault, the skier was fortunately saved from severe harm by her helmet, and a ski instructor intervened to scare off the animal using his poles. The injured woman was promptly taken to Fuyun County People’s Hospital.
The Fuyun County Forestry and Grassland Bureau, in conjunction with local authorities, confirmed the incident and assured that the woman was in a stable condition, according to a statement released on the Chinese mobile app WeChat.
Subsequent to the event, authorities have heightened safety protocols, patrols, and educational campaigns. Both tourists and residents have been advised to keep a safe distance from wildlife and to report any encounters to the authorities, as per reports from Mothership.
This comes in the wake of a distressing report from the previous day, detailing the discovery of a 19-year-old woman found dead on a beach, surrounded by a group of feral dogs. The woman was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Law enforcement officials mentioned that the victim was believed to have gone for a swim around 5 am, and approximately 90 minutes later, two men spotted around 10 wild dogs near an ‘object’ while driving close by.
Discussing the incident, which occurred on a beach north of Maheno Wreck on K’gari Island in Queensland, Australia, Wide Bay District Inspector Paul Algie stated: “Upon closer inspection, they saw that it was, in fact, a female person at the scene. It was obviously a very dramatic and horrific scene for them to uncover.” He also noted that the woman had injuries “consistent with having been touched and interfered with by the dogs.”
However, the exact cause of death was yet to be determined.