As the team trekked deeper into the wilderness, the sharp eyes of a game watcher spotted something unusual on the path ahead. A carcass lay abandoned, its death a testament to nature’s harsh realities. The air thickened with anticipation as one of the team members identified the signature of a predator. “This is a snow leopard's kill,” he whispered, his voice tinged with awe. “Wait and it will come.”

As the team set up their cameras, camouflaging them against the car to appear as a single object, the early morning sky began to reveal the first light of dawn. The valley seemed to hold its breath, as did Leghari and his team, in anticipation of what was to come.

Snow leopards, often referred to as “ghosts of the mountains,” are rarely seen and that too in the middle of summer. Their ability to blend into the rocky terrain, coupled with their elusive nature, makes sightings exceptionally rare. Leghari, with the patience honed from years of hunting, knew this could be rare chance.

And then, as if materializing from the very rocks themselves, the snow leopard appeared. Her coat, a perfect match to the jagged cliffs, moved like a shadow across the landscape. The team’s hearts raced, the silence around them amplifying the sound of their anticipation.