A female skier was viciously mauled by a snow leopard on Friday after approaching the predator too closely for a photo, according to chilling footage of the incident.
The encounter, which left the woman’s face severely bloodied, occurred around 7 p.m. in Fuyun County, along China’s northern border with Mongolia, according to Jam Press.
Footage shows a woman, who reportedly edged as close as 10 feet to the leopard, lying motionless in the snow as the predator hovered nearby after the mauling. Witnesses then appeared to help guide her away as blood poured from her face.
Local reports noted that the woman miraculously survived partly because her helmet helped prevent more serious harm.
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Authorities previously issued warnings after multiple people reported animal sightings near the hotel the day before, according to Jam Press. The leopard was believed to be lingering around the area due to a lack of food.
Reports indicated that a skier spotted the leopard while making her way back to the hotel. When she was unable to get a good angle for a photo, she reportedly kept approaching until the leopard pounced and mauled her face. The predator was eventually driven off by a ski instructor waving his poles.
The injured skier was transported to a local hospital for treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.
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In the days leading up to the attack, authorities had warned visitors of multiple snow leopard sightings in the area. While snow leopards on humans are historically rare due to the animals’ shy and elusive nature, officials noted that the big cats still possess "aggressive tendencies" and urged tourists to avoid lingering or approaching them for photos.
"Recently, snow leopard activity has been detected in Gem Valley, Keketuohai," the warning said, according to Jam Press. "Snow leopards are large predators with strong aggressive tendencies. When passing through this area, please move quickly and do not linger. Do not get out of your vehicle or approach to take photos, and never walk alone in the surrounding area."
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Tourists staying at a nearby guesthouse confirmed that they saw a leopard in the area prior to the attack, according to the outlet.
"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," one witness said.
China is home to the largest population of wild snow leopards in the world, according to the Snow Leopard Trust, with the country harboring the majority of the global population.
An investigation into the attack is ongoing.
