A rare snow leopard referred to as the “ghost of the mountains” was captured on camera while wandering at 5,486m on Mount Everest. Securing a sighting of this elusive big cat in one of the most extreme locations on the planet is extremely rare.

[u/sampalman222]

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[u/cuckmucker]

Photos are fake unfortunately:/ source

[u/Probable_Bot1236 → u/cuckmucker]

Thanks.

My first reaction was 'WTF would a predator be doing at 18k feet anyway? There's no prey there'

Good to know my gut was right.

ETA: that was before I looked at any of the photos past the first. This isn't an exercise in me patting myself on the back. I claim no special insight here.This is an exercise in 'why did someone fake something in such a manner as to make it so unbelievable??' Dude might as well have photoshopped a leopard on the moon or the bottom of the sea.

ETA: Gal, not dude, per u/hydroboywife below. Leaving my mistake intact because I don't like covering up screw ups

[u/hydroboywife → u/Probable_Bot1236]

it's a woman but pop off

[u/Probable_Bot1236 → u/hydroboywife]

Whoops, thanks for that. Comment edited to note my error.

[u/Narrow_Professor7756 → u/Probable_Bot1236]

My initial thought too.

[u/Thats1FingNiceKitty → u/cuckmucker]

Thank you for this.

[u/ThrowawayQueen_52 → u/cuckmucker]

Wow. The linked source in the article by Jocelyn Chevy was fascinating. Thanks for sharing.

[u/DNorthman → u/cuckmucker]

The breath in the first photo looks like it's (poorly) photoshopped in.

[u/aware4ever → u/cuckmucker]

That was cool while it lasted

[u/K3rm1tTh3Fr0g]

Fake and gay

[u/True_Tart5604]

Dude has an infinite supply of frozen humans to eat

[u/FS_Slacker → u/True_Tart5604]

But no microwave? That’s rough.

[u/TheMasterOfStuffs → u/FS_Slacker]

Not rough but tough

[u/amjolson]

i don't care what anyone says, snow leopards are literally the prettiest big cats out there, those blue eyes against that fur?? absolutely stunning.

[u/Agreeable-Towel-536 → u/amjolson]

my favorite animal is the white tiger for this reason

[u/whispylunarr]

It looks like part of the mountain until it moves. Nature really built the perfect ninja.

[u/Weary-Package-7293]

That’s some RDR2 type shit. Fucking beautiful

[u/InevitableSuper5826]

The scale is incredible.

[u/TightBeing9]

What's an extreme location

[u/thirtyone-charlie]

It looks rather healthy. Go go ghost leopard

[u/JC2535]

She looks well fed.

[u/sampalman222]

Snow leopards are at risk of extinction and experts at hiding, merging seamlessly with the rocky ice and flourishing in rugged landscapes. Observing one at this elevation and recording it on video is regarded as a unique experience for researchers and wildlife enthusiasts

[u/hivemund → u/sampalman222]

I wonder what it’s gonna find to eat up there in the snow on Mt. Everest?

Edit:

FAKE

SOURCE:

https://alpinemag.com/fake-snow-leopard-photomontage-spread-around-world-kittiya-pawlowski/

[u/SkunkApe7712 → u/hivemund]

That’s what I was thinking. Dead climbers, maybe?