Posted: May 13, 2008 2 a.m. EDT
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| The snow leopard’s craftiness makes it hard for experts to track this big cat. |
Journalist Nisar Malik and wildlife cameraman Mark Smith traveled to the mountains of Pakistan on a mission to find, study and film the snow leopard, one of the most elusive of the world’s big cats. Their findings make up the next episode of “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom,” airing on Animal Planet May 14.
Notoriously difficult to track, the snow leopard’s craftiness even makes it hard for experts to pinpoint its exact numbers in the wild. In 2004, Malik spent five weeks in the mountains of Chitral National Park in Pakistan searching for the elusive animal. On his last scheduled day in the wilderness, his team finally spotted a female cat, much to their elation. The team followed her activities and movements to put together “Snow Leopard’s Lair” for “Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.”
The film includes footage of the female snow leopard hunting in the wild, which Malik describes as amazing. It also captures her day-to-day movements in her battle for survival.
“Snow Leopard’s Lair” will air several times throughout the week. For a listing of dates and times, visit the Animal Planet website.