After a good six months of preparation, I traveled to the Himalayas for several months to photograph snow leopards. I was consciously traveling alone and without a helper, because every additional noise or smell is perceived by the cats and worsens the chances of an encounter. In contrast to summer, the landscape in winter is very barren, but no less beautiful - of course it was also cold, but ultimately that's just a question of having the right equipment. It is always astonishing under what conditions animals can survive.
[@4300m -15°] Karg und doch atemberaubend schön – der Himalaja
I always set up the tent in such a way that at least one side was protected by a large rock or something similar and the view from the tent into one of the side valleys was possible. So I could then take photos from the tent if necessary. This is particularly useful in the late evening and early morning, because then the cats often roam their territory. For weight reasons I did not use a tripod and used some of the equipment to stabilize the heavy lenses.
Die Ausrüstung musste als Stativ herhalten
Extreme exertion and only small meals every day have pushed my body to its limits. It was clear from the start that I would not be able to meet my calorie requirements, because I would have had to take twice as much and other foods with me, which was not possible for weight reasons. So it was only about keeping your own body on the "back burner" for several months. As an energy supplier, I also used chocolate in some cases, a companion that should not be underestimated ...
Eine Tagesration…
Even simple things like cooking became a challenge because the lack of snow meant that water was only available in a tiny trickle. Then you learn to appreciate simple plastic bags, because without them I would hardly have been able to catch the water. Compared to snow, however, this had the advantage that I needed a lot less fuel. Igniting the stove was also sometimes very difficult due to the altitude and the cold. Incidentally, like everything else, I had estimated the fuel requirement with a thumbs-up. Of course, this can also catch the eye, because you can't just organize replenishment.
Als Wasserversorgung diente ein winziger Rinnsal
You might think that it would have to be boring to sit alone in a valley or rather in "nowhere" for weeks, but that's not the case - on the contrary - it was incredibly exciting months. Every day I searched all accessible areas around my camp for traces of the cats and covered many strenuous kilometers with heavy equipment, all in the hope of getting the "King of the Himalayas" in front of my lens….
Stundenlanges absuchen der Felswände bestimmte den Tagesablauf
Prinzipiell muss man sagen, dass es ein großer Erfolg ist, überhaupt eine der seltenen Katzen zu finden. Nicht nur das diese extrem selten und scheu sind, für ein ungeübtes Auge ist es nahezu unmöglich die Katzen in den Felswänden zu erspähen. Es ist ein unglaubliches Glücksgefühl wenn es nach all den Anstrengungen dann zu einer Begegnung kommt. Und ich hatte dieses unglaubliche Glück, ich durfte gleich eine ganze Familie von Schneeleoparden mit 4 ( VIER ! ) Mitgliedern beobachten. Ein unvergesslicher und atemberaubender Anblick, der mich für die unglaublichen Anstrengungen mehr als entschädigt hat.
Wer hat hier wen zuerst gesehen ?
Es ist unmöglich den Schneeleoparden zu entgehen
Soon I'll be going back to the region on my own for several months and then maybe shooting a little film ...
