Can you find him? Who would have guessed that one of the world’s most beautiful species would be so difficult to find?
Saurabh Desai, a wildlife photographer from in Northern India’s Spiti Valley, recently published a snapshot that has baffled internet users.
At first glance, it appears to be a simple landscape photograph of a snow-covered crag, but there’s more to the image than meets the eye.
Desai was, in fact, catching a snow leopard, an elusive big cat native to the area with a highly camouflaged coat that helps him to blend in to his surroundings to an amazing degree.
Are you able to find him?
If you tried and failed to find the snow leopard, you are not alone.
Despite their obvious presence, even locals, who refer to these cats as “Shan,” have difficulty locating them.
“I wanted this animal to be captured the way others have described it,” Desai told The Dodo.
“They say they don’t see the ‘Shan’ very often, but ‘Shan’ sees them all the time.”
Here’s a tip for those who are still perplexed:
The snow leopard was indeed staring back at you the entire time you were searching.
(In other words, he triumphs.)
Although not all of the snow leopards in Desai’s photographs are as difficult to spot, their ability to cross challenging terrain makes even spotting them difficult.
But it’s well worth it for Desai.
“I spent almost three years looking for this magnificent kitty,” he explained.
“I was speechless when I discovered it so near to me.”
Desai’s diligent effort photographing these magnificent animals has allowed the rest of the world to appreciate their beauty as well.
