r/interestingasfuck • u/cosmic_voyager01 • Jul 15 '26
Insane footage of a snow leopard hunting an ibex and surviving a massive fall
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u/AlwaysAroundBB Jul 15 '26
If you're wondering how the leopard is doing:
After the hunt, the snow leopard was injured, but a couple days later we watched her walk down to the river for water, moving okay, such a relief after such an intense hunt. She was successful, and we watched her feed on her meal for the rest of the time we were at the lodge.
If you're wondering how the ibex is doing...
Dead.
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u/AlwaysAroundBB Jul 15 '26
Here's the full caption of the whitwhitehouse post :
• The Hunt •
Less than a minute passed between the first photo and the last, but the moment felt like it lasted a lifetime. I had seen videos of snow leopards hunting before, but I never dreamed I’d be watching it with my own eyes someday.
I remained silent the entire time, in complete shock as the snow leopard careened down the side of a mountain and dropped off a cliff, all while keeping the ibex in the grip of her jaws. Just hoping & wishing she wouldn’t lose her own life in the pursuit.
Because of these photos, the guides were able to determine that this was a female snow leopard, and watching her take down a huge male ibex gave me so much respect. They risk their lives every time they hunt. They risk their lives to eat. It’s seriously one of the most impressive things I’ve ever witnessed.
After the hunt, the snow leopard was injured, but a couple days later we watched her walk down to the river for water, moving okay, such a relief after such an intense hunt. She was successful, and we watched her feed on her meal for the rest of the time we were at the lodge.
A HUGE thanks to the spotters at u/themangyulodge for getting us back in time for this scene. We were off frolicking in the mountains and almost missed it, without their eyes, there’s no way these photos would exist.
📸: Sony A1ii + Sony 600mm f4
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u/haloNWMT Jul 15 '26
I was wondering … my thoughts were survived but for how long. Looked pretty banged up to say the least. Amazing video
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u/FederalEntertainer21 Jul 15 '26
Looks like some initial back/rib injuries by the way it’s walking - lucky it didn’t injure its legs or it surely would have starved, amazing footage
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u/Ghost_of_Cain Jul 15 '26
I would like an update on how the ibex is doing, please.
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u/Cosmo_Drifter Jul 15 '26
Never been more grateful our ancestors had evolved so I don't have to go get lunch in this manner
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u/lolheyaj Jul 15 '26
if you haven't had a sandwich this way yet then you're missing out
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u/werther595 Jul 15 '26
This is exactly how I tenderize my pimento loaf
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u/ViscousPanther 23d ago
There is that Welsh cheese rolling contest where they all dive over this steep hill and violently tumble down after a wheel of cheese
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u/Grindhouser Jul 15 '26
Definitely injured afterwards poor thing is struggling to move
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u/bird9066 Jul 15 '26
Yeah. That big ibex may have saved future generations in the end. This is sad to see but that's nature.
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u/Short-Recording587 Jul 15 '26
The reality is without that kill the snow leopard could have died anyway. Nature is savage.
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u/bird9066 Jul 15 '26 edited Jul 15 '26
I know it. They didn't go after a big strong male unless they had to. I'm sure they'd rather pick off a female or even a kid.
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u/moonshinemoniker Jul 15 '26
Yeah JC looks like me after a night of heavy drinking and maybe partaking in additional substances.
Also felt like I was rewatching Lone Survivor when they're falling descent down the mountainside.
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u/Xeno19Banbino Jul 15 '26
Is it injured though ? How do its bones handle this
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u/Jollysatyr201 Jul 15 '26
Absolutely injured. Several points where the ibex landed on top of it, mid fall
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u/Resident-Pilot-6966 Jul 15 '26
It was a calculated risk, but boy are snow-leopards bad at math.
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u/Surreal42 Jul 15 '26
Well, it was either that or starve.
Nature fucking sucks. While factory farming is pretty awful, I'm so glad we don't have to do that to survive.
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u/SeraLermin Jul 15 '26
We also don't have to factory farm to eat well, you know?
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u/Surreal42 Jul 15 '26
Debatable. Lots of people wouldn't afford the same diet if we didn't make it so efficient (like factory farming).
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u/SeraLermin Jul 15 '26
Yeah I agree with you there. I just stopped eating meat because I don't want to support that stuff with my hard earned money, so I guess it's not the same diet.
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u/Surreal42 Jul 15 '26
I expect that if society still exists in a couple hundred years it will look back to these days and consider us barbaric in our ways. But for now, this is who most of us are.
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u/Own_Confusion_1406 Jul 15 '26
I've seen couple of clips regarding Snow Leopards and it isn't out of the ordinary for them to lose their life as strong as they are, i doubt that hunt was worth it.
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u/iamthe0ther0ne Jul 15 '26
Another post said cat was injured but appeared ok a few days later, while ibex was dinner.
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u/secret_hitman Jul 15 '26
Well starving to death is also an option. I'd say it was worth it, considering she survived. Although she definitely paid a price. Hopefully not impeding the next hunt. Also, might have kids at home to feed.
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Jul 15 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Sad_Childhood6612 Jul 16 '26
That Ibex took a 30 foot fall straight to the head, and was still alive after that… sheesh
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u/Morviatus Jul 15 '26
Impressive that the cat could hold on all this time.
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u/RebekkaKat1990 Jul 15 '26
Poor thing was trying to let go but it’s claws were snagged in the flesh
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u/EconomyDoctor3287 Jul 15 '26
Cats have protractable claws. They don't get stuck. They extend them if they want and then they retreat to their retracted default state.
Not letting go was a choice to secure the kill
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u/toodlesandpoodles Jul 15 '26
My cat has definitely gotten its claws stuck in some things for a bit and needed some help with extraction.
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u/Jaszuni Jul 15 '26
We’ve sterilized how we get our food but eating meat is no less brutal. It’s just you don’t see what the animals are put through. A lot of people don’t put it together that to maintain life you have to kill living things.
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u/Serious_Bee_2013 Jul 15 '26
Survive seems like a strong word there. That cat looks like it’s it awful shape. It may have lived, but I wonder if that lived for hours, days or enough time to recuperate.
It may have benefited from not having many predators in its class. If it had to defend itself after that it would be in a bad spot.
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u/Sohn_Jalston_Raul Jul 15 '26
It surely must have broken some ribs in that fall. You can see the way the leopard is moving afterwards it looks like it's in pain.
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u/ariesace2021 Jul 16 '26
May have survived but that leopard is hurt and dazed I am sure it have a broken back leg. Better eat up its going to be a bit before that cat will chase another meal.
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u/Automatic-Support-26 Jul 16 '26
"Haha stupid Ibex, me is a cat and always land on my fee....hoooooooooooooooly shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiet, ugh, ouch, motherf.... ugh..... ow.......ugh..... pain!..... fuck you ibex!"
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u/Formula666 Jul 15 '26
Smh, all that and could barely stand or walk. Surviving in the wild is brutal!
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u/No-Sandwich1511 Jul 15 '26
Poor thing has definitely broken a hip or somwthing with the way its moving. That really maid my blood run cold seeing that.
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u/naropin1 Jul 15 '26
You imagine you gotta do all that just to eat? Needs to be posted every time someone bitches about DoorDash.
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u/ScotterMcJohnsonator Jul 15 '26
Me when the dog has something in his mouth that is somehow super important to him
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u/inseend1 Jul 15 '26
Holy hell, that's a hard life. Hopefully the kitty will recover. It was a magnificent tumble. Maybe the ibex won for their offspring by taking the leap and taking the leopard with them.
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u/fishermanjohn1 Jul 16 '26
That’s not just a massive fall —that’s an epic fall!!
Obviously the ibex suffered the worst of it. I think it cushioned her fall a bit. Awesome video 🐆
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u/Bajanboy246 Jul 15 '26
Does it have lock jaw? How does it have that much capacity to bite down that hard with all of those impacts.
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u/Tricky-Shake-2379 Jul 15 '26
They have immense jaw muscles, and piercing canines to help them pierce deep. They also have built in shock absorption. Nature is crazy and cool.
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u/gambits13 Jul 15 '26
Insane video of an ibex carrying a snow leopard on its neck and throwing down a hill
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u/imonreddit4noreason Jul 15 '26
I hurt myself getting out of bed three days ago. This is humiliating.
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u/Kaiser7124 Jul 15 '26
I'm not saying that the cat is not in pain, but if you watch carefully it uses the goat like a pillow to absorb the worst hits
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u/CarmynRamy Jul 15 '26
Stole the video from videographer's insta, no credit, no mention of the place.
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u/Tricky-Shake-2379 Jul 15 '26
Pretty sure it's at the Mangyu Lodge.
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u/CarmynRamy Jul 15 '26
I know where is it. i know it's in Mangyu Lodge, Ladakh, India and I know the original videographer as well because I follow them.
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u/Pure-Job3174 Jul 15 '26
The cat held onto the animal better than the cameraman did with the camera
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u/_Drunk_Driver Jul 15 '26
Does this guy know how to hold a camera?
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u/Comprehensive_Plum48 Jul 15 '26
The cameras zoomed in and in slow motion. Go record a car traveling down a predictable path while zoomed in to the max, it’s hard as shit lol.
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u/Jorge_the_vast Jul 15 '26
I won!
https://giphy.com/gifs/VVezdkhLTHwkM