Woman suffers from facial injuries after being mauled by snow leopard when she approached it for selfie
A woman in China was injured after being attacked by a rare snow leopard at a UNESCO-listed geopark, reportedly after she approached the animal to take photos.
The incident took place at around 7pm on 23 Jan at Keketuohai UNESCO Global Geopark in northwestern China, according to Asia Business Daily.
Woman pinned down by snow leopard in viral clip
Footage circulating online shows the woman trapped on the ground, pinned beneath the snow leopard’s paws, before bystanders rushed in to help her.
Source: @NatureChapter on X
As she was escorted away from the scene, the woman could be seen bleeding from visible facial injuries, suggesting she had been clawed or bitten during the attack.
The incident reportedly occurred while she was returning to her hotel when she spotted the snow leopard and allegedly moved closer to take photos.
Authorities had warned visitors a day earlier
Notably, local authorities had issued warnings just a day before the incident after a snow leopard was spotted roaming the area, believed to be searching for food.
Visitors were advised not to linger outdoors, to move quickly through exposed areas, and not to exit their vehicles if they encountered the animal.
Despite these warnings, the woman was allegedly on foot when she encountered the leopard and moved up to three metres away from the big cat when she saw it.
Victim in stable condition
Fortunately, according to the Global Times, the injured woman was swiftly conveyed to the hospital, where she is now in stable condition.
Source: @NatureChapter on X
Local authorities have also increased patrols and employed extra precautionary measures to keep guests safe as a result of the incident.
Information from the Snow Leopard Trust website states that snow leopards are shy animals and are not known to be aggressive to humans.Â
There have been no verified cases of snow leopard attacks on people to date. Even when startled or disturbed while feeding, the species is more likely to flee than to fight.
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5 people killed in wild elephant attacks in India, 1 died after attempting selfie with herd
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Featured image adapted from @NatureChapter on X.Â
