Smithsonian magazine's 22nd Annual Photo Contest | Made possible through the support of MPB.com

22nd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
A close encounter with the ghost of Himalaya

The photograph is showing a majestic Eurasian Lynx resting on a rock. As we were crossing a mountain pass, we heard alarming calls from 2 Himalayan snow cock, and when we stepped down from our vehicle, we saw the big cat barely 20 feet from us resting on a rock. We did not believe our luck, and I just pinch myself that it was not a dream. The majestic cat was unbothered by our presence; it was relaxed and allowed us to photograph and videograph it while walking along the rough rocky mountain edges till the end of its last trace. Later, we found the feathers of a Himalayan snowcock nearby and learned that the lynx was resting after having the snowcock for breakfast.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2024
Photo Location: Ladakh, India
Camera: NIKON Z 9
Copyright: © Santosh Kumar Mahalik