A woman skier in northwest China was attacked and injured by a snow leopard as she reportedly attempted to take photos of the animal on Jan. 23.
The incident occurred in Koktokay Township, Funyon County, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, near the border with Mongolia.
The tourist was attempting to take a photo of the snow leopard when the attack occurred, according to multiple news
reports, such as bjnews.
Video footage circulating on
social media shows the woman lying motionless on the ground with the snow leopard next to her. More video shows several people helping her to safety as she covered her face. Another clip shows the snow leopard moving around in the snow.
Reports said the snow leopard bit her face and knocked her to the ground. Her ski instructor intervened, waving his ski poles to get the snow leopard to leave. Footage showed blood on her outfit, her neck, and her helmet.
Conflicting Accounts
Some media, such as Sina,
reported that before the attack, the woman came within about 10 feet of the snow leopard. Fellow tourists warned her, but she allegedly kept approaching the snow leopard.
But a netizen who claimed to be a witness and to have helped with the rescue
said the woman was not trying to approach and touch the snow leopard but was taking photos by the roadside when the animal ran from a distance and attacked.
She was transported to a local hospital, then to Fuyun County People’s Hospital for treatment, and is in a stable condition, per local reports.
The attack occurred near the Keketouhai Scenic Area by the Tala Village, a mountainous area near the Kokokay International Ski Resort. Officials confirmed that snow leopard tracks were visible days before the attack, and warned visitors to stay away from the snow leopards or to avoid taking photos.
“The general public and tourists are urged to strictly abide by the safety guidelines, maintain a safe distance when encountering wild animals, and report to the police immediately to ensure personal safety,” the forestry bureau
stated online.
It has been speculated that the animal's wandering near the resort was due to a limited food supply.
A local guesthouse owner
said, "We saw it last night, a few kilometers from where the attack took place, but we can't confirm if it's the same snow leopard," reported Chinese media
The Paper.
A protected species in China, only 4,000 to 6,500 snow leopards remain worldwide, per
the World Wildlife Fund. China has about 60 percent of the remaining snow leopards, and they’re considered a symbol of China's mountainous ecosystem.
Attacks by snow leopards on people rarely occur, but officials emphasize that the animals also have “aggressive tendencies” and should be avoided.
A study of 261 Mongolian herders in 2020 showed that snow leopards attacked livestock but didn’t attack humans.
