How snow leopards let me into their secret world

Kullu Suryawanshi has dedicated 20 years of his life to finding of one of the most elusive big cats on the planet – the snow leopard. Known as 'the ghost of the mountains', snow leopards are so rare and well-camouflaged in their high Himalayan home that a tantalising pawprint in the snow is the most many people ever see. But Indian climber, mountaineer and scientist Kullu wasn't deterred. He wanted to understand not only how snow leopards live and hunt for food, but to do the seemingly impossible and find a way to estimate how many are left on Earth. Kullu was once told he was more likely to see a yeti than a snow leopard. But thanks to years of trekking through the ice and snow, he got closer to these creatures than he could ever have imagined. Kullu has written a book about his experiences called The Ghost of the Mountains: Unravelling the Secrets of the Snow Leopard.

(Photo: Kullu Suryawanshi is hiking in the Himalayas with walking poles and carrying a large burgundy red backpack. He is wearing a thick grey jumper, an olive green and orange piece of fabric wrapped around his head and face to keep out the cold, and has sunglasses on his head. He has a camera hanging around his neck. In the background is a steep mountain slope covered in fine scree, and there is snow on the ground. Credit: Kulbhushansingh Suryawanshi)

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Presenter: Jo Fidgen
Producer: Anna Lacey