FAFO: Skier Who Attempted Selfie With Snow Leopard Learns The Hard Way
February 1, 2026

Yeah, maybe don't approach apex predators for a selfie next time.

According to the Shanghai Daily, the same leopard escaped and later entered a herder’s pen and killed 35 sheep on Jan 28 before it could be captured.

Source: The Independent

A tourist got mauled by a snow leopard at a popular ski destination in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region, reportedly after getting too close to the animal to take a selfie.

The rare attack occurred on 23 January at the Keketuohai Scenic Area in Altay prefecture, a prominent winter tourism destination. In the aftermath, local officials said public safety measures and emergency patrols had been expanded across the area.

Footage shared widely on Chinese social media shows the leopard lingering in an open snowfield. The footage then cuts to the animal approaching a person who appears to be lying on the ground. In subsequent clips, a group of people is seen carrying away the injured individual who is shielding her face and whose clothing and helmet are bloodstained.

According to local media, the injured person was a female tourist who had noticed the animal from afar and attempted to photograph it. The leopard lunged, biting her in the face and knocking her to the ground, when she got within 10ft of the animal.

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